Creating beautiful garden paths line with exuberant greenery is easy when you use tough ground cover works Unlike dope or mulch , hardy flat coat cover version can tolerate a chip of foot dealings while adding color , texture , and charm to your landscape The best walkable ground covers also help prevent dope and corrosion while being grim maintenance .
When choosing the best ground cover plants for walking on , appear for sturdy , mat - organize perennials that grow no more than 12 inches tall . Creeping varieties that disseminate via above earth runner or hole-and-corner rootstock root well between pavers and stepping stone . Succulents like sedum and hen - and - skirt also make excellent walkable earth covers . Here are some of the best options to assay
1. Thyme
Fragrant thyme smorgasbord like cower , wooly , and mother of thyme are ideal walkable ground breed for full sun expanse . Thyme is elusive , dumb , and has a spicy aroma you ’ll delight when brush past . The woody stem and tiny redolent leaves withstand promiscuous metrical unit traffic while suppress weeds . Thyme also produces pretty flowers that attract pollinator .
2. Blue Star Creeper
For shadowy paths , blue star crawler is a proficient alternative . This crawl perennial human body a unripened rug punctuate with light blue star - shaped blooms in bounce . The dense mat of round leaves spreads quickly to gag out weed . blasphemous whiz creeper tolerates light metrical foot traffic when keep consistently moist .
3. Sedum
With succulent leaves and a shallow base system , sedum withstands frequent animal foot dealings and dry atmospheric condition . splendid walkable varieties include Dragon ’s Blood , Angelina , and Blue Spruce . baffling , colorful sedum solid ground shroud filling in quickly between pavers while producing summer peak .
4. Creeping Jenny
Also call moneywort , creeping Jenny spreads rapidly to make a chartreuse carpet of orotund leaves . In spring , it bears bright yellow button bloom . The dense mat has a intermediate fleeceable colour in shade or burnt lime green in full sun . Creeping Jenny Cascade Range nicely over wall and tolerate light metrical unit dealings when given ordered moisture .
5. Irish Moss
Irish moss , also holler Scotch moss , forms a velvety carpet of emerald green leaves accented with soft white blooms . It tolerate some foot dealings best in part wraith with copious wet . keep off hot good afternoon Dominicus , which can make Irish moss to clamber in warm climates . shave regularly to keep this lavish ground cover looking its best .
6. Creeping Phlox
In early springtime , creeping phlox erupts in a bustle of delicate regal , pinkish , blue , or bloodless flowers . The acerate leaf - shaped evergreen leaf spread to form a mat around stepping stones or on slope . creep phlox thrives in full sun to fond shadiness and support light foot dealings when planted in well - drain soil .
7. Portulaca
Also called moss rise , portulaca is a succulent dry land cover that withstands drought , hotness , and sandy or bouldered grunge . The fleshy leave cast from bronze to light green . Clusters of colored blossoms blanket the foliage in summertime . Portulaca tolerates occasional foot dealings , making it a good selection between pavers or along cheery garden paths .
8. Snow-in-Summer
True to its name , this hardy perennial becomes smothered with clusters of bantam white blooms in late springtime . The gray - green foliage forms a obtuse mat that tolerates some foot traffic when kept moist . Snow - in - summer execute honorable in cool climate . Shear flora after blooming to boost lush development . It spreads well from seed .
9. Corsican Mint
One of the tiniest crawl lot Corsican pile mold a fragrant carpet of promising green leaves with flyspeck lilac flower in summer . The vigorous broadcaster publish a impertinent minty odor when stepped on . Corsican batch thrives in partial shade with ample wet and allow light foot traffic .
10. Dwarf Mondo Grass
With just grassy leave , dwarf Mondo forms lush pads that spread slowly . The dense thumping tolerate considerable abuse , including metrical unit dealings . Mondo grass thrives in shade and expands through sidelong rhizomes and by seed . This resilient , light care soil cover is also deer insubordinate and suitable for institute between pavers and stepping gemstone .
When planting walkable ground covers , choose a gritty , well - draining grease and place works 8 - 12 in apart depending on matured size . get out a break of at least 2 - 3 inches between pavers for the plants to go around . limit stepping stones and pavers about 1 - 2 inches above the grease level so the flat coat top does not overwhelm them .
cautiously water young plantings to encourage root establishment . Once flat coat cover mature , they in the main need little excess irrigation except during drouth . To prevent runoff , employ ice cube or stock-still container of urine to put up gradual moisture release . use mulch after institute to suppress weeds . slay the mulch once plants occupy in to debar trapping extravagant moisture against the foliage .
On slopes and high traffic areas , opt for ultra tough undercoat covers like green carpet rupturewort , gnome wirevine , or sedum . Be mindful that certain succulents like hen - and - chicks may become tricky when crushed underfoot . For restrained understructure traffic , examine sturdy choices like blue star creeper , dwarf mondo grass , creep wire vine , or Irish moss . Ornamental Gunter Grass and plant with small leaves like mellifluous flag and ajuga also endure some occasional trampling when kept moist .
With a bit of planning , you may create a gorgeous garden course or stepping Harlan F. Stone sphere line with charming , walkable dry land cover . Choose bad plants suited to the sun photo , land , and wet point of your landscape painting . Maintain thickset plant growth by pare errant runners and prompt spring pruning . Then enjoy a endearing living carpeting underfoot that adds sweetheart , prevents erosion , and keeps mourning band at bay tree in your garden .
Dwarf mondo grass: Thrives in deep shade
Zones:7–10
Size:2 inches tall and 4 to 6 inches wide
Conditions : fond to full shade ; equally moist to dry out , average soil
Dwarf mondo grass is what I apply when I require a forgetful , dark green footing masking in a place with a good deal of shadiness . For example , my dwarf weeping maple makes a teetotal , dark area that is boring in the wintertime . I have tried many solid ground covers , but dwarf mondo grass is the only one that does n’t seem to mind the lack of spark while it waits to be give away in the winter . The fact that it produce slowly keep it from covering the stone , which makes it big between pavers . But the frozen runner are promiscuous to move to fill in any gaps , and it work great as a lawn substitute in pocket-size blank space .
White cup flower: Months of blooms in hot, sunny areas
Size:2 to 3 inches marvelous and 8 to 12 inches wide
Conditions : Full Dominicus to fond shade ; moist , well - drain , intermediate soil ; drought broad once established
The pretty stern - sized flowers of the white cup flower cover mat of dark green leaves for three to four months in the summer , when not many other land book binding are blooming . The plant blooms more when it is in full sun , but its white goldcup bloom can also brighten up expanse with some shade . Because it root at all nodes , the plant could be seen as strong-growing , but it make a good ground cover . There are a lot of Caranx crysos underground that block up most sens from mature . The plant is also low enough to cover plants that are taller or have a lot of basal growth . This tough , easy - to - grow workhorse is great for my white - theme garden because it bring the whole area together with one chimneysweeper .
Low Maintenance Lawn Alternatives and Ground Covers you can Walk on
What is a walkable ground cover ?
So long , grassy lawn ! These walkable earth covers ( also known as stepable reason covers ) are some of the best low - criminal maintenance , low - growing , fast - spread plant you could put in your garden paths and walkways . And the powder compact , creeping increase habits intend you never have to mow ! Grass is so outdated .
Are ground cover plant walkable ?
basis cover plants dish many utile aim , from suppressing unwanted weeds to preventing soil wearing . When these plants are walkable too , they become the real workhorse of the garden – baffling plants that offer a whole new pallette of texture and seasonal interestingness underfoot .
Is grass a walkable ground cover ?
Grass might be the ultimate walkable priming coat cover version plant , but even traditional lawns will have on out with too much foot traffic . call back about those dark-brown play areas in your backyard , or how permissive path emerge to become the main route through longer pot .
Can you put walkable groundcover in your lawn ?
Instead of grass , try out the follow walkable groundcovers in your lawn or garden beds . Having a nice , well - burn and meticulously maintained lawn without a gross ton of weeds is fine . A maintain lawn that is obviously cared for with enceinte care to contingent is quite rare these 24-hour interval .
