Gavin Bl wrote:
So cut the thyme right back and dry the cuttings??

Sorry for delay ... my cold put me to sleep like the bite of a tse tse
fly ...If your thyme is woody I would wait until spring before
'pruning' it. That woody appearance appears at around 2/3 years old
plant. By no means cut some side straggly branches for winter, but
don't touch it beyond that. If your plant is over 3 years and you feel
it needs a bit of 'tidy up', in the spring lift it off the ground and
devided it and replant both plant separately and give it a pruning.
You'll end up with two beautiful plant around July/august when thyme is
at is bestest )

By protect the crown, you mean some mulch on the pots earth surface?

Yes, with compost, leaves anything to protect it from hard frost.

(Sorry I am a terrible garden virgin)
Also - on the sage - Yes it is purple sage in a little black pot from a
garden centre. Sheer bloody laziness on my part has meant I didn't pot
it up properly straight away. Will repotting it at this time of year be
to traumatic?

It's so mild at the moment I wouldn't worry. If don't indoors you can
plant and repots herbs whenever given moist and light and warm
conditions! Why don't you devide your plant (like I suggested for the
thyme) in two bits, repot one for your kitchen and put the other half
outside, but cut the latest but not too hard and mulch it. Next year
you'll see new growth on it. I have two of each plant (or more quite
often) because did you know that if you leave the flowers on your herbs
the leaves will not be as tasty? So I have plants to enjoy the flowers
and provide for the insects and others to use in my kitchen.