How to prune silver queen thyme

After flowering in summer; light tidy in early spring. After summer flowering, shear back soft growth by up to one-third, cutting just above visible leaves. In spring, remove any dead or frost-damaged stems. For older plants that have spread and gone bare in the centre, trim to about 15 cm above the base — but only where green growth remains.

Once after summer flowering; light tidying in spring as needed. Silver Queen thyme needs regular but gentle pruning to stay bushy and prevent woody dieback. Trim lightly after flowering each summer to keep the variegated mound compact. Never cut back into bare, leafless old wood, as thyme rarely re-shoots from it. Light spring tidying removes winter-damaged stems. Consistent light trimming through the season is far better than one heavy cut.

After summer flowering, shear back soft growth by up to one-third, cutting just above visible leaves. In spring, remove any dead or frost-damaged stems. For older plants that have spread and gone bare in the centre, trim to about 15 cm above the base — but only where green growth remains.