Creative Gardening

A Child's Garden Creating a Cook's Garden Herb Teas Herbs in the Garden Series - Herbs as Groundcovers Herbs in the Garden Series - Herbs for Moist but not Soggy Soil Herbs in the Garden Series - Herbs for Poor Soil

Herbs in the Garden Series - Herbs for Shady Areas Herbs in the Garden Series - Herbs that Attract Butterflies Living Wreaths Making Herbal Vinegars and Oils Planting Herbs in Combinations Preserving Herbs

Like other thick, low-growing plants, many herbs make good groundcovers. They are hardy plants and easy to grow. Not only do they offer beauty, interesting textures, and color, but they also have the added benefit of smelling delicious when you walk on or around them. They are the perfect choice if you need to fill in the gaps between steppingstones on a pathway, add interest to a rock garden, or supply whimsy in a fairy garden. Some groundcovers will even fill in well enough to help control erosion on a hillside, embankment, or hard to mow place in your landscape.

In the garden, both low-growing flowering herbs and foliage herbs make suitable ground covers. With a few exceptions, most herbs do well in spaces with well-drained soil and full sun to partial shade. Once established, herbal groundcovers need minimal care. When choosing herbs as groundcovers, group them according to their needs; avoid mixing drought-tolerant and moisture-loving ones in the same bed. For the best affect plant odd numbers (three, five, or seven) of each herb together. Don't set them out in straight rows. This will help them fill the space in quickly and evenly.

If you need plants to control erosion on an embankment or hillside, fibrous-rooted herbs, such as Mints, may be the solution. For those hard-to-mow places in the landscape consider herbs as an alternative to grass. You can even reduce the need for mowing by growing blooming lawns with herbs such as chamomile. If you choose to replace your lawn with a ground cover, however, make certain that all the grass has been removed before planting. This will save time and effort later, as grass will fight to the bitter end to regain its home. Groundcover herbs, such as Chamomile (a perennial and hardy to zone 6), make a lovely carpet and can be mowed. Roman Chamomile has a pleasant fruity scent and pretty little daisy-like flowers. It is a good choice for warmer, sunny locations.

Consider the following herbs for your groundcover needs:  (grouped by height)

Height 1”

Minus Thyme - the tiniest of plants. Can handle light foot traffic. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Stepping Stone Thyme - vibrant green flat creeping thyme. Great between stepping stones. Can handle light foot traffic. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Wooly Thyme - fuzzy texture looks like hair from a distance. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Height 2” 

Corsican Mint - lowest growing mint. Makes a dense mat with a strong, crisp scent. Tolerates foot traffic. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

White Creeping Thyme - white blossom. Works well in small areas, can handle light foot traffic. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Height 2”-3” 

Mother of Thyme - dense, trailing variety with pink blooms. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Doone Valley Thyme - leaves deep green with flecks of gold, turning solid green with summer heat and taking on a red hue in winter. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Bressingham Thyme -aromatic variety with starry pink blooms. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Height 4” 

Variegated Peppermint - beautiful, creamy variegation, highly fragrant. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Pennyroyal - non-edible, but useful as an insect repellent. Smells like mint when stepped on. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Prostrate Rosemary - creeping groundcover. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Height 3”-6”

Pink Chintz Thyme - vigorous growth habit and pretty pink flowers. Tolerates light foot traffic. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Red Creeping Thyme - deep, lavender blooms. Tolerates light foot traffic. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here. 

Height 4”-8” 

Sweet Woodruff - thrives in shade. Tiny, white lacy flowers with a vanilla scent. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Height 8” and above

Roman Chamomile - a perennial with tiny white flowers. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.

Mints - all mints are invasive. Take care where you plant them. To see other helpful hints, tips and sowing information about this variety click here.