The family-owned Thyme Garden started in 1990-when it launched to expand its seed business and start a nursery in the community of Alsea, Oregon, just a few miles outside of Corvallis.
The spacious property made it possible for a family of plant lovers to collect and cultivate new and unusual varieties of herbs; today, the garden boasts more than 250 raised beds showcasing more than 650 varieties of specialty herbs, representing one of the largest such collections in the Pacific Northwest.
Emily Stimac, manager at The Thyme Garden, says the company's herb selection gets beyond the basics; sure, you'll find basil, mint, parsley, and other classic plants and seeds. But The Thyme Garden prides itself on cultivating a selection that attracts customers from all walks of life. You'll find a wide variety of very specialized plants-a lot of plants you won't find at your average nursery including medicinal herbs or really interesting or exotic herbs. Many herbs they grow also get used in Eastern medicine, beauty treatments, exotic teas, and more.
If the herbs initially brought customers to The Thyme Garden, the company's other offerings-a wide variety of plant-based items, an ongoing salmon restoration project, and well-attended events-kept them coming back.
The Thyme Garden's ongoing salmon restoration project has also become a point of pride in recent years. As Stimac tells it, The Thyme Garden's property once hosted a pair of year-round streams, one of which was ideal spawning ground for coho salmon; the previous owner had diverted that stream for agricultural reasons.
So the garden partnered with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and a handful of regional organizations to rebuild the stream and recreate the vital habitat. Today, The Thyme Garden hosts an annual event each fall so visitors can witness the coho spawning and better understand a key aspect of nature in the Pacific Northwest. It helps people appreciate the importance of salmon habitat and give them inspiration, if they have property, for things they can do on their land, Stimac says.
The coho-themed event is just one of several that longtime customers look forward to throughout the year. The garden's other gatherings include an Earth Day celebration, an annual art festival for Mother's Day, summer tours, luncheons, weddings, and more.
