This culinary thyme self-sows easily in my Oregon, zone 8, growing conditions. It is my favorite "go to" cooking herb in my garden. I have it growing in a raised bed with sandy loam soil, topped with chicken grit. Seems to be very drought tolerant in our hot and dry summer months of July, August, and September. The plant in the photo taken 11/21/2015 is 4 years old and seems very happy planted in one of the cinder block holes. I imagine the roots have run very deep down the two stacked blocks.

Even in fall and winter the leaves have a nice strong thyme flavor and scent.