Non grass 'lawn'! Not chamomile

lostinrates

Any one got any ideas?

I am planning a garden ATM, and it has been mooted buy dh we leave an access path accross the back, which would make sence (we have climbers and trees to attend to there, and easier than stepping on a border.

I do not particularly want 'a path' surface there, and definietly do not want grass. The area varies but is mainly 'part shade' it's south facing, but has a building there, so the light mainly comes from east and west, but south in high summer, it will be too shadey for chamomile. Soil is clay.


I was wondering about some low growing thyme.....which might stand up to us standing on it twice a year, and a light step for dead heading etc through the year. Or maybe just under planting with something like Russian sage and knowing it will get trampled but will come back.

The garden is to be a herb garden, but I would consider a non herb solution, fragrant on treading would be nice though.

Any one got any bright ideas?:o

glasgowdan

Sedum? Cut back once a year.

Primrose

How about planting "Mind your Own Business"? It's a very tiny leaved low growing plant which will spread quite effectively. Google it to see what it looks like. However, do think about the slipperyness of any planted surface in wet weather if you regularly need to walk on it for any reason. The other option, of course, would be bark chippings.

Leif

You could always come round my house and take away some lovely non grass turf, predominantly a mix of moss and Bird's Foot Trefoil. Cut it yourself, and I won't even charge you.

lostinrates

I love the idea of a moss lawn.

Really love it.

Ironically, I wonder if it's too light for moss here. Hmmm.

Davesnave

Woodruff?

My Dad had a prostrate juniper 'lawn' which could be walked on, sort of! Tell a lie, I let the junipers do that to save weeding the gravel that was underneath!

dragon47

I have a variegated oregano/marjoram in a herb bed next to the patio and it provides excellent ground cover. Over the last few years it’s spread and been growing out of cracks in the patio. I walk all over them quite often and they seem to survive okay. On a warm still day you can get a lovely aroma from walking on them but most of the time the scent just gets carried away on the wind so this sort of project works best when the planting area has some wind breaks near by. I cut them back occasionally and I have even been over them with a fly-mo a few times so they will take quite a bit of punishment! The one slightly negative thing I would say is that the stems get quite woody so I wouldn’t walk on them in bear feet particularly after cutting them back. Oh, and most of the leaves tend to die back in the winter.

theoretica

Corsican mint might work. I don't think thyme would like clay, I find it likes to be well drained.

fannyadams

I have some corsican mint in a pot - PM me if you want some as it grows like topsy and you only need a little bit.
I was thinking Thyme as well but unless you put lots of grit in you might not get it to take.

Primrose

Thyme might work, but it really likes a sunny position and there are so many different varieties of it. If it's for a pathway type loction you really need to find one which is very low growing. Some of them can grow quite tall & bushy, and rather spikey. We've come across one variety which actually grows in grass almost wild and is virtually flat which might be ideal if you can locate which one it is.

theoretica

If you aren't walking on it all that often Russian Comfrey is another possible.