The scent of thyme is one of the loveliest in nature: fresh and sweet but never cloying. Legend tells us this is because it was among the hay in the manger where the Christ Child was laid. This imparted to it the sweet scent it still retains.

Its name comes from a Greek word meaning “to fumigate.” A member of the mint family, its essential oil makes a disinfectant 12 times as strong as carbolic acid. As early as 3000 BCE, Sumerians used it as an antiseptic. In the 16th century, it was among the plants suggested “ … to improve and ameliorate the Aer about London.”

Thyme is feminine in nature and is associated with water and the planet Venus. To “smell of thyme” meant that one was well-groomed and poised. Ladies wore it in their hair to enhance attraction.

A bed of thyme is a welcoming home for fairies. Some believed that bringing it in the house would invite the fairies in, too.

On a darker note, the scent of thyme is supposed to linger where a murder has been committed. It was placed in coffins to ensure passage to the next world.

A Mediterranean native, it was spread across Europe by the Romans. They mixed it into strong drink to intensify its intoxicating effects. Both Greek and Roman warriors were massaged with thyme oil to prepare them to fight valiantly. Medieval ladies embroidered it onto knights’ scarves to increase their bravery.

Grow thyme in the cabbage patch as protection from cabbage worms, flies, beetles and aphids. Bees love it; sheep don’t. Thyme honey is one of the best-tasting varieties.

We need to attract bees – here’s a timely tale about global warming. A few days can make a big difference in the delicate balance of nature. If a plant that newborn bees are normally fed on blooms just a few days early, the bees will die and are not around to pollinate your cash crop. If the bees die, we die.

For general household cleaning, put a few drops of essential oil of thyme into a spray bottle with 4 parts water and 1 part vinegar. Hang bags of it in your closets; it smells much nicer than mothballs and is just as effective. Place a sprig beneath your pillow for restful sleep and protection from nightmares.

Plant some thyme this spring. The bees will love you for it.

– A reference librarian, Lisa Karen Miller has been gardening and researching plant lore for many years. Have some plant lore to share? Email lisalisa13131313@gmail.com.