I have trouble keeping wooly thyme alive too. It needs sunny, well drained soil and on the dry side. Not rich soil at all.

I have better luck with regular creeping thyme. I so wanted the two to mingle to prolong the bloom. All my wooly thyme is gone now. Only creeping thyme is going strong.

There re a number of "creeping thymes," and some are taller than others. High Country Gardens has a good selection of tough ones.

Thyme doesn't like too much moisture. Replace this on in the fall or next spring and don't over water.

Strangely enough Wooly Thyme does well and winters over for me in my normally wet clay soil. The trick seems to be to plant it high and next to concrete or stone. And in full sun.

However, I do not water it at all, not even to water it in when first planted in the ground. I just step on it to make sure there are no air pockets. I have managed to grow a half dozen patches of it which have lasted for five years or more and counting.

BTW, I did have two patches of Lemon Thyme die out this spring after making it through 4 winters in my garden. I think the strange weather did them in, as I also had some problems with established heucheras and a few other things that I pretty much take for granted. Anyway, none of the Wooly Thyme was hurt at all.

Jackierooke, I think if you try it again and plant it perhaps an inch or so higher than usual, near a brick wall, stepping stones, or concrete walkway and absolutely ignore it, it will grow well for you.

My experience has been the same as leslie. I never could keep thyme going in our clay soil that doesn't drain really bad but not really good either. I believe that Thyme prefers sandy, well draining soil and agree...it likes dryness.

I have kept wooly thyme going for quite a few years now by putting it in a raised bed too, right up against the edge of cement pavers. I had two patches and lost one this past winter too. I also thought it was from the crazy weather. It thrives on neglect. I have other types of thyme growing in the pocket of a cement block. Surprisingly they have managed there. I think watering them kills them.

Mine spreads quite a bit, and as others have said it loves to grow around stones. In fact I planted some along a brick walkway and now I have a steady supply of small plants that I uproot from between the bricks. I think the original plants are goners, they were in fairly good soil on the side of the path. Small pockets of sand and stone dust seems to keep these plants happier than garden soil.

I have creeping not wooly, but I know it prefers dryness. I only watered it the day it was planted. I also put some sand in the bottom of the little holes. I gave it some lime this spring, it's come back nicely for me.