"Oi think the answer loies in the soil", as an old BBC gardener used to say
Thyme symblises woman's strength of character - it has gradually lost it's folkloristic meaning.
This, From the Funk and Wagnall 'Standard dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend'
Jim Carroll
   
Thyme
Thyme is an herb of Venus and Mars and is a symbol of strength. It is loved by the bees and fairies especially in the north of England. In the Middle Ages, ladies gave their knights a sprig of thyme to increase their strength and courage in battle. On St. Agnes’ Eve if a young girl places a sprig of thyme in one shoe and a sprig of rosemary in the other, and one on either side of the bed, she will dream of love and the man she will marry. In ancient times thyme was strewn about the house to drive out vermin and provide a pleasant odor
Medicinally it was considered good for depression and to strengthen the head, brain, stomach, and lungs. Used in baths it cleared the skin and soothed the nervous system. It was a cure for insomnia, and the 17th century Parkinson recommended distilled water of thyme and vinegar of roses applied to the head to guard against “frensye” or nightmare.