Yes, you can eat the thyme flowers: they are not only pretty but perfectly edible. If you want to avoid flowering, however, be sure to trim your herbs. Thyme will regrow if you trim only the very top inch of each branch. (Do not cut into old wood.) The plant may look a bit sparse, but it will sprout again as long as you don’t overwater it.

Hi Jeanne,

Yes, you can use thyme flowers in your cooking, to flavor butter or olive oil, or in salads. 

Is the thyme healthy looking, otherwise?  We usually like to start with a specimen that is stringy-looking to tie onto a frame. However, once you give the thyme plenty of bright light (6 to 8 hours) and fertilizer and water, the stems should start to get woody and stuff and self-supporting. Is the light bright enough? Is the soil moisture even, not soggy? Many people overwater herbs.

Herbs require minimal fertilization. In fact, herbs often suffer from overwatering and overfertilizing rather than from not enough. We like to amend with peat moss or any type of composted organic matter at planting but avoid fertilization after germination.

Was this a truly dry sprig? It’s best to use fresh, green (not woody) cuttings to propagate thyme, during the growing season–spring through early fall. As the days get closer to winter, the plant may respond more slowly, or it may not form roots at all.

For a tip cutting, remove the top 3 to 4-inches of a sprig, cutting at an angle, and then dusting the cut end in rooting hormone. (You may want to make the cut just below a node–where the leaves emerge from the stem.) Strip off all but the top several leaves and sink the cutting about ⅓ to ½ of the way into soil mix, vermiculite, or perlite. Keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Cover with a plastic bag to keep the environment moist–prop it up so that the plastic does not touch the plant. Place in a warm area in bright, indirect light. Providing bottom heat, such as using a heating mat for seedlings, can be helpful. Keep up with watering (again, making sure that it is not overly moist). Roots should form in about two to six weeks.

For Thymus vulgaris, the days to germination is about 14 to 28 days, depending on conditions, health of the plant, cultivar, etc.

'Doone Valley' is more often used as a landscape feature rather than for cooking, as there are other choices that keep their flavor better. You can, however, harvest the leaves and flowers and use them as a garnish. Some sources say that the lemony scent fades when cooked (Lemon Thyme is better for this purpose). Strip the fresh leaves from the stems and use the leaves as needed, or dry sprigs of leaves using the instructions in the article above.

It's best to remove the leaves from the stem if you are using the herb to season foods at the end of the cooking time or cold dishes. If you are using thyme in soups and dishes that cook for some time you can put sprigs in the pot. The leaves will detach from the stems during cooking and you can remove the stems before serving.
To propagate thyme use cuttings from fresh (new, green) growth and dip the cut end into rooting hormone before putting the cuttings into soil.

Thyme spreads nicely and yes, it can be invasive though not as much as mint! If you are concerned, it would be better to planting in a container.

This is a good question. Thyme seeds are indeed tiny! First, we would water before sowing fine seeds so they don't get washed away. When your seeds are very fine, open the packet over a piece of white paper. Then gently brush the seeds off the paper. You could also moisten the tip of a toothpick and use it to lift each seed. Once the seed is in the soil, we would just press it down gently so it's not buried too deeply.