Fragrant Daytime Garden

Seasoned Gardener : Episode SGN-406 -- More Projects »
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Lavender can be planted as a hedge along a pathway or clustered in the curves, as shown here.
Designing gardens to appeal to the senses is a great way to emerge from the dormancy of winter. Master gardener Chris Dawson visits a home in Zone 9 where mid-winter is a great time to plant aromatic plants and flowers. For those in colder climates, it's a good time to consider how to add soothing elements to your garden when the weather warms. In this project, Dawson spruces up the front yard with aromatic and colorful additions to a pathway and tree bed.

The pathway in this project is a curved, brick-lined walkway that leads to the front door. Dawson prepares the area by stripping sod from selected areas along the pathway. It's easiest to remove sod when the soil is slightly wet, after a light rain or the day after the area is watered. He removes a couple of inches of soil with the sod. Removed sod can be used to fill bare spaces elsewhere.

He chooses lavender and a combination of creeping thyme that release their scent when brushed against or lightly walked on.

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Lavender
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Citrus thyme
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Creeping scarlet thyme
  • Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) is hardy to Zone 5 and needs extra winter protection in colder zones. It likes well-drained soil and full sun. This variety of lavender grows to 2 1/2 feet tall and spreads to three feet. The signature spiky summer blooms are fragrant and are often dried and used in sachets. Prune back after it blooms to maintain its compact form.
  • Citrus thyme (Thymus x citriodorus) is a creeper with lime-colored leaves and a citrus scent.
  • Creeping scarlet thyme (Thymus serpyllum) flowers mainly in spring and summer but still produces sporadic blooms throughout the year.
  • Lemon thyme (Thymus x citriodorus) is a creeping plant with a citrus scent. In spring and summer, it produces small pink flowers.
  • Wooly thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus) is a great border plant and groundcover. Light lavender blooms appear spring through summer. The leaves have a fuzzy texture and release a clean thyme scent when crushed.
Dawson likes to plant a variety of thyme to create a groundcover with a patchwork quilt effect. Thyme is a good companion to lavender because it enjoys the same planting conditions. As the thyme fills in, it will help provide shade for the lavender roots. Dawson adds mulch to the bed to discourage weeds until the creeping thyme grows in and covers the surface.

Another area in the front yard that needs some attention is the raised planting bed around the olive tree. A plant that grows over other root systems and thrives in shade is periwinkle (Vinca minor). This fast-growing groundcover covers bare areas quickly. It adapts to a variety of soil conditions and tolerates part shade to full sun. In warmer zones, it needs protection from afternoon sun; in colder zones, it grows better in full sun.

With a few additions, the front yard is more welcoming and appealing. Visitors are greeted by the lovely scents of lavender and thyme along the pathway, and the vinca adds a touch of color and texture to a formerly bare area.

Also in this Episode
Seasoned Gardener : Episode SGN-406
•Fragrant Daytime Garden
•Fragrant Evening Garden
•Planting a Tea Garden
•Planting and Drying Herbs for Tea