Plants To Walk On
Large areas of hard surface such as paths and patios can be boring.The flat surface and hard edges stand out in a garden.Their looks are improved when broken up and softened.
Creepy-crawly plants, which spread like honey on hot toast, are the answer. They can, however, bring their own problems. If they form a rigid branch system you will trip over them. Some grow too high, becoming obstacles. If they are not tough, walking on them will destroy the foliage, prevent flowering or cause them to be trampled to death. Prostrate spreaders are usually able to survive in poor conditions being happy to grow in cracks filled with a free draining, impoverished, gritty soil.
Thyme is a great survivor. It can tolerate being walked on,releasing its wonderful fragrance from the crushed leaves. There is a range of leaf colours including golden, variegated and shades of green.Flower colour may vary from pale pink to deep purple.
Mind your own business is a lovely common name for Soleirolia soleirolii which used to be called Helxine. Mat forming, this perennial will spread far and wide with tiny, pale green leaves and pink tinged,white flowers in summer.
It can take a heavy pounding and still bounce back as lively as ever.
Cotoneaster procumbens is evergreen with white flowers in summer followed by bright red berries. It will form a low mound 4 inches high spreading to cover 2 square yards. Great for softening the edge of the patio it may be a nuisance if it is allowed to encroach onto the main walking area. Rosette forming sedums and saxifrage will tolerate some abuse but will curl up and die if they havent time to recover between attacks.
Some campanulas, such as C.raineri, are useful. It will only grow to 2 inches high with a spread of 8-10 inches. This perennial spreads by underground runners, smothering itself in bell-shaped, pale lavender flowers in summer. Once established it is difficult to kill, reappearing even if the foliage has been tramped off.
Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) may be used instead of grass to form a lawn. When walked on it exudes a wonderful fragrance. It enjoys growing in well drained soil in cracks in the patio.The best non- flowering variety is C.n.Treneague forming a mat 18 inches wide and 4 inches high. It is not a tough plant and should be planted away from the main traffic. Dont be tempted to feed this type of planting. They will be tougher and more resilent if they have to fight. back to John's index page |
