There are over 100 varieties of this member of the mint family. Thyme is a perennial herb native to southern Europe and the Mediterranean. Garden thyme, the variety most people are familiar with, is a bush that grows six to twelve inches high. It's narrow, pale gray-green leaves give off a pungent, minty, light lemon aroma. It grows in areas where there is plenty of sun and good drainage.
Drought conditions tend to concentrate the oils, producing a more potent herb.
The most common variety of the Wild thyme is lemon thyme, a compact upright shrub that grows to about twelve inches. The leaves are tiny and heart shaped, ringed with a splash of yellow and as the name suggests, a more pronounced lemon aroma. Some supermarkets carry fresh thyme during the summer months. Leaves can be harvested for fresh use throughout the summer, but the flavor is best just before flowering. Harvest sparingly the first year.