Variegated Lemon
Thyme in the UK

Right, so for Thyme, you're looking at sowing from April to May. If you're starting indoors, pop the seeds in trays or small pots with a bit of compost, barely cover them over, just a light dusting, you know what I mean. They like it warm, around 18-21°C. For outdoors, wait until the soil warms up a bit, usually later in May up here in the North East, after that last frost is well and truly gone. You can sow direct then, just a tiny bit of soil over them. Or, to be honest, a lot of folks just buy plug plants, which is grand too.

Once those little seedlings are big enough to handle, like they've got a couple of proper leaves, you can prick them out into individual pots. Let them grow on a bit, then give them a good hardening off for a week or two, taking them outside during the day. After the last frost, usually mid to late May for us up North, you can plant them out. Give them about 20-30 cm spacing, or pop a few in a decent-sized container. They don't need any support, just let them do their thing.