Hi deedle.

When you say "parking place", do you mean a place the size of one car or a whole parking lot?

And where, exactly, do you live? "Hot spot" doesn't say enough.

Joe

Oops, sorry -- I meant a space the size of one car. I live in the hills of Tujunga -- blistering hot in the summer, cold and wet in the winter. The planting area gets full summer west-facing sun.

Thanks!
deedle

I grow Myoporum parvifolium in a spot that sounds similar to yours. It can't tolerate too much frost and requires good drainage (I grow it on a slope). You could also try any of the creeping thymes.

Dymondia margaretae forms a very tight, dense carpet. I soak mine twice a month in summer, and leave it unwatered the rest of the time. Probably best to plant it in the fall and let it get well established before the hot dry summer.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dymondia comments

I grow a lot of Aptenia cordifolia - a small leaf ice plant that is much better behaved than some of the larger leaf Mesembryanthemum (ice plant).

It covers the ground and crowds out weeds, and is also good for growing around trees, to conserve moisture for them. The bees really like them as well (if your a beekeeper - that is a plus). Never need water, take hot sun, just about anything you can throw at it. It isn't too tolerant to foot traffic, however.

It comes with a red flower and a white one. It also doesn't seem to harbor as many snails as the taller ice plants. We see it a lot on banks near the ocean, where the soil is extremely crumbly and sandy, and it holds the soil well.

Mother of thyme is another good choice, but takes awhile to get established in a larger area.

Bejay

Since you want something heat and drought resistant, have you considered going with California natives? You can search for great native groundcovers two ways: At Bewaterwise.com (brought to you by the Water Department) you can go to the Garden Spot page or the California Friendly Garden Guide page. You can do a search for suitable groundcovers. Then, being in Tujunga you are not far from a great native plants nursery, the Theodore Payne Foundation (theodorepayne.org). It is in Sun Valley. Their website has a native plants gallery and you can do a search for groundcovers. Once established, native plants take very little water and very little maintenance. Much better than bricks!
As for the weeds, in such a small space you can keep them at bay with a weekly 5-minute hoeing with a hula hoe.