Thyme comes in different varieties. Among those preferred by kitchen gardeners are the common thyme, silver thyme, lemon thyme, orange balsam thyme, caraway-scented thyme, and oregano thyme. A method of growing thyme is offered.

They're favorite herbs for cooking. Grow one, or grow a bunch

Good cooks never wind up with too much thyme on their hands. Subtle, versatile, and nearly impossible to misuse, thyme is the most frequently snipped herb in the garden. And now, more varieties are available to snip, including such offbeat varieties as caraway-scented and orange balsam. "Use it a little, use it a lot, use it on everything," urges Kate Jayne of Sandy Mush Herb Nursery. "You won't use it wrong. I can't think of a solitary reason not to have a half-dozen varieties."

Neither can we - specially since the small-leafed, compact plants are as adaptable in the garden as in the kitchen. Upright types (6 to 12 inches tall) make splendid edging plants. Creeping forms (2 to 3 inches tall) are wonderful between paving stones, where the pressure of footsteps releases their herbal scents. And all varieties look handsome in containers.

Here are some of the favorite thymes of kitchen gardeners.

THE CLASSICS

Common thyme (Thymus vulgaris), sometimes sold as English thyme, is the basic culinary thyme - the one you reach for to spice a soup, stew, or pot roast. The French form has a similar flavor, but its leaves are narrower and grayer and the plant doesn't grow as wide. "French is more complex and perfumy," says Rose Marie Nichols McGee of Nichols Garden Nursery. "But English is a more robust grower, so I like to have it on hand as a backup."

Silver thyme (T. v. 'Argenteus') is similar to common thyme in flavor, but gray foliage with cream edges gives it a silvery appearance.

THE CITRUS-FLAVORED

Lemon thyme (T. citriodorus) is favored for its lemon-scented leaves. Many varieties are available, including golden and silver-edged types and upright and creeping habits. Use it to enhance lemon juice or as a lemon substitute. Good with meat, chicken, fish, eggs, vegetables, green and fruit salads, and salad dressings.

Orange balsam thyme (T. vulgaris 'Orange Balsam') is an upright grower (to 6 inches) with tiny gray-green leaves. Sweeter than most thymes, with a slightly smoky overtone, it's good with fish or pork, and particularly well suited to fruit salads. "Wonderful with sliced oranges and red onions," suggests food and garden writer Carole Saville. "Try it with mango, pineapple, guava - anything tropical," says Sylvia Thompson, another food and garden writer, "or in a cold fruit soup, like cantaloupe."

THE ROBUST

Caraway-scented thyme (T. herba-barona) forms a low mat about 4 inches tall with shiny dark green leaves on reddish stems; pink flowers bloom in spring. It's the traditional seasoning for roast beef, but is also good with any meat dish, says McGee. She recommends wrapping stems around shish kebab before grilling. Because it's also good with root vegetables and cabbage, Saville suggests trying it on slaws. "Good in beet or cabbage soup, too," says Thompson. "Or on cottage cheese."

Oregano thyme (T. pulegioides 'Oregano-scented') is a vigorous, mounding plant that grows 12 to 18 inches tall. Large, oval, dark green leaves have the distinct aroma and flavor of oregano, making this herb a natural flavoring for tomato-based pasta sauces and sliced fresh tomatoes, and for rice, bulgur, and other starches. "Try it with chopped parsley and butter over cooked potatoes," says Jayne.

HOW TO GROW THYME

Few herbs are easier to grow than thyme. All it needs is average garden soil - preferably amended with compost - and occasional irrigation. Shear plants back once a year after flowering to keep them from getting woody in the center.

The essential oils that give thyme leaves their flavor will be more concentrated if you never allow your plants to flower. But if there are gardeners steel-hearted enough to lop off those sweet lavender blossoms so beloved by bees, Thompson doesn't want to meet them. "That's cutting off your nose to spite your face," she says. "Just harvest more leaves." And allow yourself a little more thyme.