Friday, November 7, 2008

Tight, Drought Tolerant Groundcover

We all know the key to reducing weeds is to keep the soil covered and any ground cover that is prolific and drought tolerant is welcome in my garden. In the lower left of this photo is one of my favorites in that category, elfin thyme. It covers the ground quickly and forms a nice, tight ground cover that holds up to light traffic. (See where I use it between the cracks of the flagstone walkway here.)

This spot in the garden is along the street where there are no sidewalks so anyone getting out of the parked car on the passenger side has a spot to step and the herb will release its fragrance as it is stepped on. It is growing here with lavender and lantana. This area will thrive on very little water now that it is established.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a great idea. I love the thought of stepping out of a car and releasing that wonderful scent where my feet land. :)

Anonymous said...

I just planted Elfin Thyme in my woodland garden this year. I love the pretty little blooms too.

Naturegirl said...

I love any species of thyme and stepables in the garden! How nice to garden all season in California as we prepare for Jack Frost!

Anonymous said...

Great recommendation! I've planted different types of thyme and found that elfin thyme, once it establishes itself, is the most hardy.