what are you talking about??? a link would have made it easy for me.. and its all about me.. lol.... link below

are these what most of would call groundcovers???

i suspect you are right... you will be paying 2 to 3 times the value of the actual plant.. for the brand name .... WHY???

find the latin name .. go buy some seeds.. grow them in a special bed this summer.. and transplant into the walkways .. when the plants have some size .... probably for 10% the cost ..

thats what i would do

but .. in my experience ... it wont be easy depending on many variables...

if you are a retiree .. and you will only go down the path on friday night with a glass of wine to enjoy your area... you may succeed

if you have 3 wild banshee children... who tear up and down the path 200 times a day.. good luck with that..

then there is the water problems with rock vs soil vs the plants... note the shade in the pic..

then add winter.. and ground heave with the rock if zone appropriate ...

many problematic variables... for something you already think might be a bit pricey ....

so try the cheap method.. and see if you can win the battles...

good luck

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

'Stepables' is just a marketing name for a company that sells overpriced groundcovers. The same plants are available from many other vendors, typically at a more economical price point. There is nothing that 'Stepables" sells that cannot be purchased elsewhere or from a different vendor/supplier - that is, they have no proprietary interest in the plants.......they are just common groundcovers.

It will always be most economical to start the plants from seeds but a great many groundcovers are difficult to find as seeds. And of course you will need to wait for them to grow to achieve the desired results. If you purchase started plants regardless of the brand name attached to them - creeping thyme is just creeping thyme, Stepables tag attached or not - and they are very mat-like, rooting as they go groundcovers, you can divide the starts to create smaller plugs which can be spaced out better between the pavers. This will result in faster coverage. My favorite way is to take an old kitchen knife to a standard 4" pot and cut it into quarters.

Gardengal, everything they sell can be found online, but several of their plants ARE pretty rare locally. I know of no other local vendor selling Anacylus depressus, for instance. They also had a variety of Cerastium I haven't seen elsewhere.

I think the packaging and info provided, including the website, is very cool. I don't think I've ever seen a "groundcover" website with as much useful information, in particular the "foot traffic" tolerance rating, which for certain uses, would be somewhat important!

But admittedly, I have a bias... I grew 500,000 for the Toronto-area market this spring.

If we want to discuss over-paying -- go and buy a dozen long-stem roses. I'm sure you can find someone willing to sell you some seed... and maybe in a few years you can cut a flower off for your sweetheart. ;)

I wish I thought up the Stepables concept. I think it is brilliant. They do have a really good website. I buy them on sale for two for $5 fairly frequently.

Overhere (SE Michigan) HD and/or Lowes carry stepables. I don't seem to remember them as unreasonably expensive, especially since you only buy it one time for groundcover.

Well, it is interesting to think about the use of the steppables. I agree they are expensive. I've been looking for seed this morning but not having a lot of luck. I do think I would like to try a few to see how they grow for me before committing myself to starting seed, though. I have seen some plants for sale but they are about the same price as those I've seen locally without shipping. It also didn't seem to be all that easy to find them offered elsewhere. Plus they are not offered all together so you can pick and choose in one place. I can't see a savings if you are ordering from multiple companies and paying shipping for each company either. At our local nurseries they all sell the brand name 'Steppables'.

I guess I was particularly interested in whether someone has tried any that they have found to deliver the expected result. For instance, buyorsell and torajima....which of them have you tried and how did it work out for you?

I saw on the website that Blue Star Creeper is their #1 seller, but when I googled it, I found posts from people who felt it was overly aggressive, difficult to remove and they were sorry they had planted it. So that is what I would like to avoid.

Dave, I only saw the usual groundcovers the last time I was at Lowe's. I'll have to ask the next time.

My problem with Blue Star Creeper is that it creeps up into conifers and heathers I planted it between. I wanted it to carpet the ground not smother my expensive dwarf conifers.

It is difficult to remove from the conifers and heathers. Not difficult when it isn't growing in another plant.

It does bloom like crazy and I'd love it if it wasn't growing up into my other plants. I have the dark blue Pratia.

Ajuga 'Chocolate Chip' all rotted out from being mulched. Have discovered that Ajuga does not like compost on it's crown. Was told that by the owner of Stepables when I asked her about my disappearing Ajuga at a local plant sale. I have not mulched newer Ajuga plantings and they are all still here after last winter so it seems she was right.

Sagina subulata "Irish Moss" grows weeds as badly as bare dirt. Love how it looks, hate the weeds.

Armeria Rubrifolia has lovely chocolate colored leaves and is more of a clumper than a spreader.

I've bought others too, can't remember them all. Some sedums for sure.

Of course, these plants would behave this way no matter who grew them. Ground covers by definition are aggressive spreaders.

I have had a stepping stone path planted with Mazus reptans for about 4 or 5 years now. My path goes through a shaded (with some morning sun) area bordered with tall trees.

I started with 6 or 8 plants and put them out about every 10 feet or so. The rest of the ground they were to cover was mulched with pine straw. I do supplement that area with water in dry spells, but for the most part everything grows on rain only. I kid you not, they had met and covered the area in less than two years.

They put on a good spurt of growth in spring and then slow down their growth rate for the rest of the year. Once they slow down, I take some clippers and trim them off the stones, for some years, they will almost completely cover the stones with a low mat of foliage. I also use an edger to keep them out of the shrubs and perennials that border the path. It's possible the Mazus could choke out plants, but I have not given it a chance to do so. Again, I only have to do this once a year. The mazus has spread into full sun areas too where it looks for all the world like lawn (except when it blooms, of couse). It does fine in summer sun AS LONG AS it stays constantly moist. Every year it goes into an area that doesn't get irrigation and has sun, and every year, the summer heat fries it to a crisp.

It's the craziest thing. I have tried transplanting my clippings (which have roots on them), but they rarely ever take. This year, I may try potting them up for awhile first...

As far as traffice is concerned, several times I have had a heavy duty project going where I ran the wheelbarrow up and down the path several times a day for a week or two. The mazus inbetween the stones takes a beating and looks kind of sad, but it has recovered in short order every single time.

Great plant. Blooms in white or lavender. I consider the blooms a bonus. Very few weeds can germinate and make their way up through it. When they do, they can be a booger to pull.

Do your own research (on the Steppables web site or wherever?) and decide if you want a sun or shade plant, drought or moist tolerant, fast or slow-growing, "tough" or not so "tough", winter- and summer hardy to your climate, etc. Make up a list of several possibilities, decide what you like, and go out and buy some plants. Most groundcover plants are carried by lots of different nurseries and box stores. I would start with something reasonably priced (so NOT rare), and definitely hardy to your zone, and see if you like it. Some of the thymes for sun and lysimachia nummularia aurea (yellow leaves) for moist/avg. shade should be inexpensive most places.

buyorsell, thanks for that great detailed description of how plants have done for you. I was considering some of those and that helps. I especially am happy to get that tip on ajuga, since the last 2x I bought it, it didn't come back. I do mulch alot so maybe that was it.

Donna...I bought a single mazus plant on sale two years ago in the fall. I was shocked at how fast it grew in the container before I even put it in the ground and so I just couldn't bring myself to plant it. It is a pretty plant! It sounds like you have found a great system for keeping it in check. I would not be certain that I could keep after it so I may look for something else. I bet it's very pretty in bloom!

ontnative, yes I did get a list to consider after using the search function on the website, I just find that the information you get from a seller and that you get from a fellow g*ardener are often different.

I did just order some Thyme, Lamium, Irish Moss [I've been warned about weeds (g)], more Veronica from Bluestone who is having a sale. Worked out to about $3. a plant on sale. I'm still going to try some of the different steppables when I get back to the nursery.

Thanks for all your help! :-)

PM2 - Just so you know - Lysimachia nummularia aurea is lovely, but a quite aggressive spreader around here. I'm not sure if I'd even want to plant it in a pot that was on soil instead of pavement.

Thanks babs, I've heard that and I've eyed it for a long time but always pass it up. It's creeping jenny and creeping charlie..? Anyway, I stay away from both. I didn't realize that even in a container you could get in trouble. Wow. I have Angelina Sedum in a container and have been surprised to see little plants forming around the base of the plant. Of course, they are easy to pull out and keep under control. Thanks for that warning. I try to avoid aggressive plants as much as possible.