Are you certain it was a true thyme? They don't actually come with blue flowers. Not sure what you mean by the 'petal axils'. Did you mean leaf axils? In which case that doesn't sound very thyme-like either. Nor do the needle like leaves. There is a plant called Acinos alpinus which is sold 'as the nearest thing to a blue thyme'.

A picture would be good so we can try to get an accurate id.

Here is a link that might be useful: Acinos alpinus

Not anywhere near the plant. You are correct with the leaf axils. The only places I have seen this type of plant were botanic gardens where the person's and records were long gone. Each time it has been in the Thyme Garden of both places. Even with my new camera the pictures I took this last time were too blurry to be of any use.