skip to main content

Edible Landscape

Short ground cover herb?

11 years ago

I'm planning on doing a front yard food garden that's both functional and beautiful. I'll have stepping stone pathways between beds and would like to grow some sort of ground cover to act as a "living grout".

Something edible and/or medicinal, short, can handle a bit of traffic. Any ideas?

Thanks ahead of time!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (14)

mswillis5
11 years ago
My suggestion Creeping thyme

This might help too http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/grdcvr/msg0517120026854.html
flora_uk
11 years ago
Would Creeping Thyme grow in Hawaii? It's not a tropical plant.
Related Discussions
Using Herbs as Cover?
Q
Comments (15)
Don't worry you don't have to grow your transplants so huge! Just pull the mulch away from the soil surface before you put the plants in. For one plant, make a hole in the mulch, plant in the bare soil underneath, and leave the mulch sloping up and away from the plant on all sides. For row, make a canyon in the mulch :). You can cover the soil with a little of the mulch right after planting -- half an inch or an inch or whatever you can get away with. Then, as the plants grow, you can pull more mulch closer to them. And the mulch will shrink, due to drying and compaction and biodegrading. By the time the plants are big 6-8 inches might be 3-4. The more mulch you can get close to the plants' stems, over their roots, the happier they will be. But you gotta leave the leaves sticking out :). When you lay out the soaker hose, before the mulch and before the plants, put the hose right where the plants will be. When you plant out your starts, you can even tunnel under the hose with your trowel and get their tiny root balls right there in the wateriest area :). That's what I did today with my beans. And sure, you can grow bean on lattice. Just attach it to something securely so it doesn't blow over and uproot the plants along with it. Beans have TINY root systems -- no anchorage.
...See More
Ideas for hot graveyard site. Short perennials herbs needed.
Q
Comments (9)
Creeping thyme. It looks nice, will grow well if planted into the grass and smells great after the occasional mowing ;-) My parents' grave has perpetual care and we're not allowed to plant any bushes or perennials because they will interfere with the mowing. Also, as the site is on a mountaintop the sun is very intense and there is no water anywhere. I solved the "prettying up" by planting plugs of creeping thyme into the grass over the grave during springtime which can be very cold and damp in the Upper Catskills, in a few weeks the thyme was spreading and flowered on and off throughout the growing season. By planting during a cool and wet period you should be able to eliminate most of the trips to the marker for any daily watering-in until the plants are established...if it's been very windy though overcast you still will want to bring up some water for the transplants. Wind, across the open plains of a cemetary, can dry out the soil surface faster than sun. For a permanent display I made two wooden planters with silk flower arrangements. I sprayed these with polyester fixative to help retain the color and quality of the flowers. That worked out well as the arrangements only get sunfaded and wind-tattered after a few years out in the full sun and intense weather. These planters sit on the slab the headstone is on, one for Mom on the left and one for Pop on the right. Some people use caulking to affix the base of the planters to the slab but this is a small community graveyard and pilfering has never occured. T
...See More
What herbs can go in the ground & what should I keep in container
Q
Comments (4)
A couple of points to add to Cyrus' comments. First, Parsley is a biennial (lives for 2 years), not a biannual(occurs twice a year). Second, 'perennial' means that they live for several, or many, years. Usually such plants can be quite slow to grow in their first couple of years, but (as Cyrus says) they can get quite large when fully mature. Third, the annuals will only last one year (or one growing season). In the case of coriander (cilantro), this can mean it has a very short life-span. In a hot climate, it can go from seed to seed in 2-3 weeks. For such plants, growing them in winter might be the only option - and it is generally suggested that you replant every 2-3 weeks ('successive planting') to ensure a continual supply. Most annuals (especially the very-short-lived ones) will self-seed readily. This means that they can become weeds in a short time. Be aware - and either collect seeds as they ripen, or prevent the plant from flowering (remove flowers before they begin to produce seed). Parsley, which goes to seed in its second year, also self-seeds readily - but (as with the seeds of your annuals) those seeds won't always land where you want them!! In short, all your plants will be much happier in the garden than in a pot, doing what comes naturally, and will be much easier to look after. Personally, I'd keep an eye on the oregano - it's not as badly-behaved as mint (which likes to take over), but it requires watching, as it shares that tendency to spread, without being quite so aggressive. A large pot might be the answer if you have limited space.
...See More
Has anyone used snake herb as a ground cover?
Q
Comments (17)
liz, that photo is really close although the leaves on mine are not as green or quite as long - they are more oval and and the veins are deeper on mine. The color on mine is lighter and in the sun has a silvery green look. It may be the same plant, but just the difference in climate and habitat that make the difference. I pulled out the tag and it says dyschoriste decumbens. It spreads quickly, but I don't consider it invasive - at least not yet, maybe because it only gets 2-3 hours of sun. Marti, I think you would love the pigeonberry or snake herb. The pigeonberry is on top of a raised bed and the snake weed is below it so they both get equal sun and water. PJ, you crack me up! Frog fruit is next on my list to try as soon as I find a blank spot to put some. I think maybe under a big tree in my front yard where the grass won't grow anymore.
...See More
yukkuri_kame
11 years ago
Creeping thyme grows well in my sub-tropical los angeles garden, so it can handle heat, not sure about humidity.

Pennyroyal grows well in lawns and very fragrant, but is not edible. (insecticide, an abortificant) Some chamomile. Red clover is a great medicinal/edible. And don't forget dandelions! Maybe wood sorrel. Purslane is very nutritious. Not sure which of these might grow where you are.
Suzi AKA DesertDance So CA Zone 9b
11 years ago
I have an interest in this topic as well. We have hit a budget snag. We have over 1.4 acres, and it's not necessary to put edibles in the front yard because there are orchards and raised beds in back.

In front, we will have a line of dwarf citrus, creeping rosemary, Nasturtiums and Amaranthus, but the lawn area is the problem.

DH wants a putting green there. Artificial turf. Money stream going elsewhere, so that will need to wait. This is in the front, and easily viewed by passers-by, so I'm liking all of your suggestions. Do any of these have the ability to fill in a lawn size space? DH does NOT want to mow.

I forgot you can eat Dandelion Greens. Just Rounded-up quite a few of them. Shrug. More will come.... :-))

Suzi
Charlie
11 years ago
I plant a rosemary that lies down near the ground, but I do not know the name.
t-bird
10 years ago
golden purslane! I can't wait to get mine going this year. Likes hot weather, and very ornamental compared to the weedy kind.

I'm not sure of it's life cycle outside of the 4 seasons world.

I got my seeds for this at pleasant valley farm I think.

picture:

http://content.outsidepride.com/images/products/detail/herbseed/purslanegolden.jpg
t-bird
10 years ago
leaves can go in salad, but we prefer them in stirfry, stems too. Very nutritious
zzackey
10 years ago
My thyme grows fine with humidity in zone 8b.
User
10 years ago
Edible ground covers we've been looking at for a zone 7b garden:

Corsican mint, prostrate rosemary, creeping thyme, golden creeping oregano, Lingon berries, sweet woodruff, wintergreen, nodding onion, bunchberries.

list of sources:

Richter's, victoryseeds dot com, mountain valley growers, Raintree nrseries, tiny seeds dot com, darcy from the forest dot com. Haven't verified the reputations. Buyer beware, caveat emptor, your mileage may differ, batteries not included, no warrantee expressed or implied.
Brad Edwards
10 years ago
Mint if you can confine and control it though its often invasive there are a lot of varities, some that grow slower than others.
bobbi c.
9 years ago
I've used oregano very successfully in my yard/garden here in central TX. I'm about to plant a LOT more of it, too.
1884vic
9 years ago
Oregano spreads nicely here in NY. I have also used thyme - which is nice, because there are many varieties.

My grandfather's favorite joke: What's common thyme? 4/4. For all the music nerds on GardenWeb.
bobbi c.
9 years ago
Love the joke. LOL. I do use a lot of oregano for ground cover. This year it's getting eaten by the Four-Lined Plant Bug, a recent scourge here in central TX. Hopefully, it's just a good year and won't be an ongoing problem. The oregano is growing back, though, which is another reason I love it.
shelma1
8 years ago
I also vote for oregano. Mine's grown so much I've been digging portions of it up to plant elsewhere. Very hardy.

Related Stories

GROUND COVERS Ground Force: 10 Top Ground Covers for Your Garden

By Carol Bucknell Garden Design

Protect your soil from weeds and drought this summer with a living mulch of ground covers

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Native Ground Covers for Tough, Dry Spots

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Sun beating down on your sandy gravel? Thick shade darkening your clay soil? There’s a ground cover here for you

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Deer-Resistant Ground Covers to Plant This Fall

Learn about some of the only low, spreading plants that are reliably deer-resistant

LANDSCAPE DESIGN 6 Great Ways With Garden Ground Covers

By Matt Kilburn

Use them as problem solvers, weed killers, color and texture providers ... ground cover plants have both practical and visual appeal

GARDENING GUIDES 6 Dependable Ground Covers for Warm Climates

By Steve Asbell

Swap some lawn for these drought-tolerant clumping plants — and watch your maintenance efforts diminish while they easily grow

GARDENING GUIDES 10 Native Ground Covers for Southwestern Landscapes

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Create a carpet of color in your landscape with one or more of these sun-loving plants

GARDENING GUIDES Herb Garden Essentials: Versatile Cilantro Adds Flavor to Herb Gardens

By Marianne Lipanovich

Love it or hate it, this cool-season herb contributes its unique flavor to any number or the world’s cuisines

GARDENING GUIDES Herb Garden Essentials: Grow Your Own Delicious Mint

By Marianne Lipanovich

Pull out a pot for this one. Mint's spreading habit and hard-to-kill nature can be a blessing — if you're properly prepared

GROUND COVERS Great Design Plant: Blackfoot Daisy for Prettier Dry Ground

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Don’t let its delicate looks fool you. This ground cover can survive extreme cold and heat, and with little water to boot

EDIBLE GARDENS Grow Herbs for Fresh Flavor and Good Looks in the Garden

By Marianne Lipanovich

With sun and a patch of ground, you can have all the fresh flavor you need for cooking right outside your door. Here's how to get started

Sponsored