satisfy in your garden paths with these low - grow plants that can take a little ft dealings .
Asolid brick or concrete walkwaycan be a bit blah , not to mention pricey to build . So instead , you’re able to make a pretty route with groundcover you’re able to walk on tuck betweenstepping stonesfor a more natural look . These mat - imprint , low - growing plant are tough enough to tolerate light foot traffic , and near of all , some varieties will also unblock a delightful fragrance every time you brush by .
Thyme
Fragrant and resilient , thymemakes a superb groundcover you could take the air on for sunny spot in your landscape painting where you could enjoy its fresh odour every time you pass by . Some of the respectable varieties are nonculinary , such as redcreeping thyme , ' Elfin ' mother - of - thyme , and wooly thyme . All three mature as obtuse matte of pretty foliage . Another bonus : Thyme isdeer- and coney - resistant .
Size : To 5 inches magniloquent and wide
produce weather : Full Dominicus and well - drain soil ; drought - resistant once established
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Zones:4 - 9
Blue Star Creeper
Brighten shady cornersof your landscape painting with the charms of blue star creeper ( Laurentia fluviatilis ) . This pretty small ground hugger develop masses of pale blue , star - shaped flowers in leap and early summer . Use it as alawn alternativein locations too shady to bear out turf Gunter Grass . Once establish , down in the mouth champion creeper spreads quick by underground runners and canbecome aggressivein cool , moist areas . It ’s tough enough to tolerate wakeful metrical unit traffic as long as it receives regular piss .
Size : To 4 inch tall and 18 inches wide
Growing stipulation : Full Dominicus to part shade and well - drain , consistently moist soil
Credit: Matthew Benson
Zones:5 - 9
Sedum
Heat- and drouth - repellent , sedumgroundcovers are idealistic for cheery , exposed location . These tough - as - nail plantsrequire little attentionand are strong enough to handle foot dealings . Tuck item-by-item plants between pavers or look for sedum " tile " that youroll out like sodto cover big expanse . Sedum comes in many flesh and sizes , but shorter , creeping varieties make thebest groundcovers . Look for varieties such as ' Dragon ’s stock ' , ' Tricolor ' , ' Blue Spruce ' , ' Kamtschaticum ' , or ' Fuldaglut . ' Most sedum groundcover also produce flowers in the belated summertime thatattract bee and butterflies .
sizing : To 6 inches tall and 3 foot wide
Growing condition : Full sun to part subtlety and well - run out soil ; drouth - resistant
Credit: Mike Jensen
Zones:3 - 10
Ajuga
Good things fall in small packages!Ajuga , for example , arise just a few inches tall , yet it add tons of colour to your landscape . Also known as bugleweed , this loose - care groundcover you could walk on is prized for its ability to slowly and steady carpet your yard with colourful foliage . In spring , ajuga beam up spike of blue , purplish , orwhite flowersatop a cornerstone of bronze , deep brown , bright green , or bicolor leafage . Ajuga alsothrives in containers .
Size : To 9 in tall and 1 foundation wide
Growing Conditions : Full to part shade and well - drain soil ; drought tolerant
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Zones:4 - 10
Creeping Jenny
As its name suggest , pussyfoot Jenny ( Lysimachia nummularia)is a low - grow plant with retentive stems that circularise outward . Its coinlike golden leave are why it ’s usually called moneywort . Creeping Jenny works well turn between stepping stone , where it will abide some foot dealings . It also will happily cascade over Oliver Stone walls or thesides of motley plantersandwindow boxes , which will help keep this vigorous spreader contain . In the belated bound , creeping Jenny also produce daintybutter - jaundiced flowers .
sizing : To 6 inch marvellous and 18 inches wide
Growing Conditions : Full sun to part shade and consistently moist , well - drained grunge
Credit: Justin Hancock
Zones:3 - 9
Portulaca
Portulaca , also calledmoss uprise , is a groundcover you could walk on that thrives in theBetter Homes & Gardens Test Garden ® pathways during the summertime . It ’s a knotty , sun - loving works that frequently ego - sows , down up in unexpected spot . The crape paper - like blooms come in various colour , let in yellow , blanched , salmon , red , orange , and bicolors . Portulaca also has bright light-green needlelike foliage that crop up back into place if you happen to mistreat on it . This drought - resistant groundcover is perennial in frost - liberal regions , but it ’s usuallygrown as an annualelsewhere .
maturate Conditions : Full sun and well - drained soil ; drought tolerant
Zones:10 - 11
Credit: Erica George Dines
Scotch Moss
At first glimpse , you might not think Scotch moss ( Sagina subulata ) is tough enough to take invertebrate foot dealings . Yet this aureate moss bounces right on back if someone step on it . Use Scotch moss ingarden paths , rock gardens , or as a lawn substitute insmall backyards . Scotch moss is also frost with a pretty bed of midget white flowers in the spring . The key with this walkable groundcover plant life is to keep it well hydrated , especially during the summertime heat .
Size : To 1 in marvellous and 1 foot wide
raise weather : Full sun to part shade and moist , well - drain soil
Credit: Denny Schrock
Zones:4 - 8
Dwarf Mondo Grass
Forming small clod of bright green foliation , dwarf mondo grass(Ophiopogon japonicus ) is only striking when planted in Mass along a path orpatio . Plus , you do n’t have to niggle over it to keep it look skilful ; a quick shearing back in spring will encourage impertinent fresh growth after the winter . And this works grows tardily so there ’s no worry about it getting out of control .
Size : To 3 inch tall and 1 foot widely
Zones:7 - 10
Credit: Bob Stefko
Creeping Phlox
After a long , dark winter , the former spring flowers of creepingphloxare a welcome treat . These tough overachievers are almost smothered inblue , purpleness , rise , livid , or bicolor heyday for several weeks . The plants spread quickly , and their dark dark-green needlelike foliage keeps them look unspoiled even when not in flower . Creeping phlox works especially well onsmall slopesthat drain quickly after rains .
size of it : To 6 inch tall and 2 feet wide
Zones:3 - 8
Credit: Ed Gohlich
Snow-in-Summer
This perennial rightfully live up to its common name : nose candy - in - summer(Cerastium tomentosum)produces big drifts of tiny clean blooms in late May and June atop a cumulation of spreadingsilver - gray foliage . It may self - sow but does n’t generallybecome invasive . To keep works seem good , shear them back after flowering . Snow - in - summer prefer nerveless climates and may suffer during live , humid summers .
Size : To 1 foot tall and wide
uprise condition : Full sunlight and moist , well - drained soil
Credit: Denny Schrock
Soapwort
Many favorite perennial were once grown for more utilitarian purposes than look beneficial in a garden . For example , the leaves ofsoapwort(Saponaria officinalis)were once used to make a cleansing lather . However , soapwort is prized today for its compact , rough - and - tumble nature and pretty pinkish , red , or white flowers . Use this groundcover you could walk on along your garden path or gather it into John Rock gardens or wall . Soapwort isdrought- and deer - tolerant .
sizing : To 2 foot marvellous and 18 inch wide
Growing status : Full sun to part tint and well - debilitate , slightly alkaline soil ; drought patient of
Credit: Denny Schrock
Baby Tears
Most the great unwashed imagine of baby crying ( Soleirolia soleirolii)as a houseplant orterrarium plant , but in warm , humid region , it make a adorable bright green shade groundcover . It also works well invertical gardensand container . When well-chosen , baby tears spread rapidly , forming a moss - like cushion . Keep the foot dealings on it light .
Size : To 6 inches improbable and 6 infantry wide
Growing condition : Full shade and moist , well - drain land
Credit: Laurie Dickson
Zones:9 - 11
Mazus
Occasionally name loving cup flower , mazusforms a dense mass of burnished green foliage highlighted with lavender , orchidlike flowersin late spring . It grows just 3 inches tall but packs a big impact when it spreads across the ground . It ’s a perfect ground cover you’re able to take the air on for nerve tract or the edge of a flower border . This compact beauty grows speedily and tolerates light foot dealings .
rise Conditions : Full sun to part shade and moist to wet soil
Zones:5 - 8
Credit: Jamie Hadley
Hens-and-Chicks
No ground cover list would be complete withouthens - and - chicks(Sempervivumspp . ) . name for the baby " doll " that surround each mother plant or " hen , " this delightfulsucculent plantcomes in a wide variety of forms and people of color that you’re able to mix and meet to create a inhabit mosaic . Hens - and - chicks can be tuckedbetween pavers , in rock ‘n’ roll or wall gardens , or containers . If the plants grow too close together , simply graft the skirt to other locating in your landscape . Even though hens - and - chicks can take a spate of abuse , they do n’t like too much metrical unit traffic .
size of it : To 1 foot tall and 18 inch wide
Corsican Mint
One of the smallest fellow member of themintfamily , Corsican good deal ( Mentha requienii)grows to only 1 inch tall , shape thick mats ofaromatic groundcover . In warm clime , it appreciate some good afternoon tad during the hot part of the summer but otherwise does well in full - sun locations . Use Corsican mintbetween stepping stonesso you canenjoy its fragranceevery time you sweep past the foliage . In tardy summertime , Corsican mint produceslilac flowersthat are so flyspeck they are prosperous to omit .
Zones:6 - 9
Credit: Susan Gilmore
Credit: Matthew Benson
Credit: Ed Gohlich
