How good of you to take on this task! Do you have the kids help? (that can be fun too, to run it as an after school activity.) If there are flat rocks in your area, you could collect some (or alternatively keep an eye out on Craigslist for free used bricks) and use them set hozontally along the edge of the paving as deep as seems necessary (sort of widening the paving.) Leave a couple inches of spacing between the rocks and plant between the rocks with plants that can crawl onto them. That way there would be a sort of transition zone of plants that would survive being walked on since the roots would be protected, but also give a bit of warning to the kids that they were off the standard paving. The rocks or bricks will keep the plow from dropping down into the dirt and uprooting the plants and being flat shouldn't pose too much of a problem for the plow (or at least that's my experience since the plow went right over my flat brick edging a few years.) Wooly thyme doesn't seem to flower much in my garden, so might work. Some of the shorter Carex (sedges) may work, especially variegated ones like 'Ice Dance.' Astilbe chinensis 'Pumila' grows low and spreads, but flowers in August and doesn't seem to draw bees. Lady's mantle has such subtle flowers that no one will probably notice them, and has both a larger variety and a smaller one. You could also use some shrubby low groundcovers like Paxistma canbyi (no flowers usually), cranberry (tiny flowers), bearberry (Arctostaphylos) or one of the low growing winter heaths or heathers if your soil is a bit acidic. Many heathers have colorful foliage. Just check the flowering time of your particular cultivar and be sure it is during the summer. The shrubby plants you would have to plant back from the sidewalk far enough that the plow and kids won't mangle the center of growth and so that it won't grow onto the sidewalk. I don't know the salt tolerance of most of these since I don't salt the walk, but I do know that heaths and heathers seem to be pretty salt tolerant. As far as the budget . . . Once you decide on your groundcover, if it is one of the more common ones, you can check with the principal about sending home a request for donations of that type of plant. S/he may be supportive of this.

Lilyfinch, you remind me of my dad with the veggies. Those are the only 3 he will eat. When my folks had moved my dad really wanted to experiment with a veggie garden. My mom told him if he grew it, he had to eat it. When I visited that summer and saw him eating a salad I almost choked!! He had held up his end of the bargain, but only had a veggie garden for that one year!! LOL!! Your front yard is great. I agree with widening the paths. How wide are the paths now? Could you widen them enough to incorporate the lamp post into the path? You could also have them undulate a little, but still symmetrical if you want it to be a little less formal. I would even consider at the end of the path at the house flaring the path on each side out to incorporate the area in front of your house and porch. How long is the walkway? It looks long enough that you can repeat groups of perennials. There are some great single-blooming peonies that would be pretty (and no staking), especially if planted with some May-Night Salvia and Iberis. That makes a nice little spring combo. Sedums like Autumn Joy or Matrona would give some interest down the path well into fall and even winter if you don't cut them back. Also some grasses might be nice too, like Hakonechloa. I have also fallen in love with Solidago 'Golden Fleece' planted with low purple asters. Mix in a Fairy Rose and it's magical! Have you thought about shrubs at all? If you are able to widen the path and you don't think an arbor will work for you at the end, what about a dwarf alberta spruce at the entry on each side? Also there are some small spirea like Little Princess that work in a narrow border. Hypericum Hidcote may be a nice yellow that has quite a long bloom period. Mine seemed to never want to stop and hasn't gotten to be taller than about 2'. Crimson Pygmy Barberry is a great smaller shrub with a nice color. What a great area you have to play around with. Have fun!!!

Eriogonum fasciculatum grows wild on the hillsides in Castro Valley. You definitely need to try this fabulous plant. I planted it in the fall last year (so it got a ton of rain this year) and have only watered it 3 times since planting it. It is in full bloom now and as I mentioned above attracts all kinds of cool bees (probably even cooler bees in your region). Not sure how much room you have but if you can plant a tree, a Fremontadendron might work for you. It does need good drainage. Plant in the fall, water it in well and let the rain do the rest. This plant really does not like summer water. If you have a smaller yard, look for Ken Taylor or Dara's Gold. Doesn't need a lot of pruning and if you do prune it, be cautious of the leaves, they are hairy and can be irritating. Another great shrub that does well in Livermore is Dendromecon hardfordii and Dendromecon rigida (Bush Poppy). I have seen both here and they bloom ALL year round. Bright yellow flowers that are so cheery. It can get 8-10 feet tall and 5 feet wide if it is happy. Once established, it survives on NO summer water here in Livermore and we just had a 107 degree day. Not a native but does great in my yard, Nepeta faassenii (Cat Mint). Adored by bees and certain butterflies. It has purple flowers and the leaves have a nice scent. I have it in my front and backyard. I water in my backyard (which is not native) and don't really water in my front yard (which is native). Haven't really noticed a difference. This plant is a trooper. Needs to be pruned back once it blooms the first time in late Spring and then it blooms a second time. I got lazy and didn't prune it in my backyard and it still blooming. Go figure. Good luck!!

id probably reset what she has there.. with a proper underlayment ... and call it done ... a proper cement pad would need to be rather thick.. and by that point.. you will probably be doing some major root damage ... cement colored paving stones would be better than those though.. if they are the red they appear to be ... i doubt this spot needs to support a car weight .. so patio blocks or paving stones should be just fine for the application ... isnt the use of that surface.. simply for getting out of a car and not stepping in dirt/mud/grass .... your original concern is the tree ... and to be safe with the tree.. you cant go doing significant digging in the root mass ... the only saving grace.. is that it looks like the soil level falls away.. enough that you could add some fresh underlayment on top.. to properly lay/set the patio stones ... and it being such a small area.. i doubt the thickness will harm the tree .... pix of the tree leaves will get you the ID ... as i said above .... it probably doesnt matter ... but knowledge is power ... ken