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[Garden thyme / Kryddtimjan (S) / Thymus vulgaris] Many herbs came to Sweden through monks from the European continent, and were first grown in monastery gardens, before spreading to the general public. So is the case with thyme, originally coming from the Mediterranean. Thyme was believed to give strength and courage, for example when using it to spice wine or putting in poultices. Young women would stitch a branch of thyme into a scarf and give to their loved one before he started his journey to Jerusalem during the crusades. It was also the herb of fertility goddesses, like Aphrodite, Freya or Virgin Mary, and having it in the bed when giving birth would protect both mother and child from any evil. It is antiseptic and good against colds, but can be harmful to fetuses and shouldn’t be consumed when pregnant.
Photo: Garden thyme in the herb garden in Bergianska trädgården, June 2016. Posted on Instagram July 1, 2020.
Katja Malmborg 