It’s really low growing (2-4 inches) and spreads to about 2 feet. more information Accept. Flower and shrub beds aren’t an ideal choice for a grassy lawn replacement, but they’re a perfect way to add visual interest to your yard while reducing the size of your traditional turf lawn. Mondo Grass. While some are upright plants with a shrub-like growth habit, the creeping types described here are low, with a vine-like growth habit. What You Need to Know About VOC’s in Paints, clover as an eco-friendly lawn alternative, Sustainable Landscaping Using the SITES Framework, Sustainable Landscaping: Establishing a Managed Meadow, 19 Non-Toxic, Eco-Friendly Mattresses for Every Budget, 10 Eco Building Materials Revolutionizing Home Construction, The Many Benefits of LEED-Certified Homes, 10 Steps Toward a Zero Energy Home [Infographic], Pop-Up House: The Affordable Passive House. Getting rid of all the grass and planting a new ground covering, even in a small area, is not a small project. And who doesn’t love the thought of a huge, velvety-soft patch of moss? Microclover. 37 Ways to Know You’re Addicted to Gardening, https://www.se-eppc.org/southcarolina/Publications/InvasivePlantsBooklet.pdf, http://www.kingcounty.gov/services/environment/animals-and-plants/noxious-weeds/weed-identification/yellow-archangel.aspx, https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/. Chamomile isn’t just low-maintenance and eco-friendly — it’s beautiful and delightfully scented, releasing an apple-like aroma with every step. I love my creeping thyme it makes pretty flowers all summer and the bees love it. In most climates, red creeping thyme performs best in bright sun, but it does better with afternoon shade in hot climates. A mattress that is non-toxic is imperative. The developing, crisis in the U.S. has prompted many homeowners to turn to low-maintenance lawn alternatives. They also love the white flowers of garlic chives. The developing water shortage crisis in the U.S. has prompted many homeowners to turn to low-maintenance lawn alternatives. Thyme. Thyme forms a dense mat that can withstand moderate foot traffic, so it’s a solid choice for nearly any lawn project. True. Lawn Alternatives – Creeping Thyme | Deep Green Permaculture It is hardy to USDA zone 4, can be walked upon and will rapidly spread to fill in a space. But for adding visual interest and boosting eco-friendliness, this gorgeous perennial is an excellent choice. And it’s more than just money out of your pocket. Easy to grow and great for edgings or … Many of them spread and multiply as well. , with its intricate white flowers, in meadows and fields. We are planning on placing some boulders and smaller rocks around along with some tall grasses. It requires very little maintenance, and its star-shaped twists of leaves and delicate white flowers can add interesting texture to any sustainable landscape. Is there any better feeling than walking barefoot through soft grass, or laying out a blanket on the lawn and feeling the sun on your face? It’s deer resistant and attracts pollinators. Want to hear some good news? Drought tolerant and can be mowed when it gets shabby looking for a flush of all new growth. Creeping lemon thyme, Spicy orange thyme, and caraway thyme all bear pink flowers and remain short with a height of 4 inches or less. Not all varieties of thyme work as a groundcover, but the ones that do offer a beautiful and fragrant lawn bedding that prefers direct sunlight and needs little care. And floors are no exception. It is on this list because it is a drought-tolerant option that does just fine in shade, but it also offers a lovely fragrance and is a great creeper. Walking on it will cause little bursts of thyme scent to accompany every step. Growing only 2 to 4 inches high, this versatile herb requires no mowing, little watering and needs very limited care. Creeping thyme, aka thymus praecox, is a drought-tolerant, ground cover plant that’s a perfect addition to rock gardens, as it does not do well with the heavy foot traffic lawns typically receive.Grown in full sun, thyme is also used to flavor certain foods. There is a tree and a concrete path. Hi, We are thinking of creeping thyme and other plants to cover our front lawn. And there are plenty of options — everything from red. Chamomile spreads quickly and can grow in direct sun or partial shade, making it an ideal candidate for nearly any lawn size or type. There are many choices of new (and old) materials which are being used in revolutionary ways. Ornamental grasses are drought-resistant and incredibly low-maintenance, thriving in nearly every type of soil with little to no fertilizers. Keeping any plant alive out in full sun can be a challenge. Creeping myrtle's vine grows only 3 to 6 inches off the ground, but its trailing stems … Znadna Seed - Scented Long-haired Mountain Thyme Seeds Sand Thyme Creeping Carpets Groundcover Perennial Flowers Stonecrop Seed Hardy Perennial 3.1 out of 5 stars 7 $1.88 $ 1 . Fragrant and resilient, thyme makes a superb groundcover for sunny spots in your landscape where you can enjoy its fresh scent every time you walk by. May 23, 2014 - Explore J S's board "Creeping Thyme" on Pinterest. Pink Diamond Hydrangea, Growing, Selling and Propagating this Amazing Plant. The benefits of a clover lawn are many — most notably, it’s extremely affordable and a natural soil fertilizer. Standard grass lawns are extremely tough on the environment. It is less suited to heavily-shaded conditions than the fine fescues, but is more shade tolerant than Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass. But this type of clover actually makes for an outstanding total lawn alternative. Its a great, low maintenance plant for walkways and filling in bare spots where the soil isn’t too wet. Historically, Woodruff was used as an air freshener. Growing, Selling and Propagating Silver Dollar Hydrangea, The Perfect Plant for a Shady Garden, Jack Frost Brunnera. True, Creeping Charlie spreads like crazy, presenting a total disaster if you don’t carefully choose your location. Thyme – Thymus vulgaris Thyme is a staple in any cook’s kitchen. You’ve probably spotted patches of Dutch Clover, with its intricate white flowers, in meadows and fields. Source: smilla4. to keep the maintenance factor to a minimum. You can eat the leaves and flowers as you can with other thyme varieties. Standard grass lawns are extremely tough on the environment. This thyme is something of an evergreen, turning a deep bronze in the winter months. Sweet woodruff is an edible herb, said to taste something like vanilla, and it gives off a lovely fresh scent. There’s nothing quite like a big, lush, and beautiful lawn. the area is 2500 sq ft. Mother of Thyme (Thymus serpyllum), also known as Wild Thyme, is a low growing subshrub (4-6") with green oval shaped leaves and lilac to pale pink flowers that stand up on about 4” stems.The leaves are fragrant and the flowers are abundant. This shade-loving, deer-resistant ground cover is often planted under large trees, where the homeowner's choice of lawn grass would quickly have given up for lack of enough sunlight. isn’t just low-maintenance and eco-friendly — it’s beautiful and delightfully scented, releasing an apple-like aroma with every step. This low maintenance turf alternative requires no mowing, fertilizing, thatching or watering. Its size and shape resembles that of ornamental grasses, so it’s not ideal for large-scale lawn replacements. The creeping thyme is a woody, perennial species of the Thymus that acts as an excellent ground cover for sunny areas of the garden. But it’s not just the flowers that give this plant a delightful appearance — the silvery-grey leaves and foliage are equally as delightful. 17 million gallons of gas is spilled annually while refueling mowers). It may seem strange to recommend what’s commonly thought of as one of the most frustrating weeds around. The creeping thyme is a dark green and the wholly is blue green and I like the contrast. est for spicing up shady areas, like narrow passageways, where mowing and maintenance is not ideal. Sweet woodruff is an edible herb, said to taste something like vanilla, and it gives off a lovely fresh scent. Terms of Service, 25 Full Shade Plants that Will Look Great in Your Yard, Video Reveals a Simple Way to Root Plants from Cuttings (Watch Now! Creeping thyme might not be edible like its cousin, but it does produce a pleasant herbal fragrance that’s similar to the thyme you use in cooking. It can handle dry to moist soil and full sun to deep shade. For years, grass seed has benefited from the addition of clover, which fertilizes soil by … One of the best ways to reduce the area of your turf lawn: Transform part of the lawn into a gorgeous ornamental grass display. Not only does creeping thyme lend itself well to being a ground cover, but it holds up to damage. Creeping Thyme: This European and North African native is an evergreen ground cover with flowers in shades of pink and purple. Is there any better feeling than walking barefoot through soft grass, or laying out a blanket on the lawn and feeling the sun on your face? Creeping Red Fescue seed is often used in seed mixtures such as bluegrass to add shade tolerance to a bluegrass lawn. Harvesting Rooted Cuttings from the Propagation Bed. Creeping Red Fescue seed is planted in cool, shaded areas as this grass is very shade tolerant as opposed to other cool season grasses. This is a fantastic ground cover plant and very common as a lawn alternative. In fact, clover is often planted by gardeners as a soil conditioner. spreads like crazy, presenting a total disaster if you don’t carefully choose your location. Red creeping thyme transforms any lawn area into a breathtaking scene — especially in the early summer, when bright reddish blooms appear. How many hours do you spend in bed? But this member of the mint family is actually a great option for thick, low-maintenance ground cover in partially-shady areas. As a discerning green homeowner, every choice you make involves a variety of factors. Creeping Thyme. est for lower, cooler areas with limited foot traffic. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. They are separated into two groups: prostrate, which grow less than 3 inches high and resemble lush, sun-loving mosses; and mounding, which form undulating, green or silver carpets that are more than 3 inches high. Planting a moss bed couldn’t be simpler, and you won’t need to mow or water your moss bed, provided you choose an appropriate shady location. According to the World Green Building Trends 2018 report from Dodge Data and Analytics, green building is officially a “global trend” and energy conservation is a top priority for people all over the planet. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this. If you get some shade your thyme can get powdery mildew. I used the woolly thyme around the stepping stones and the creeping thyme in the lawn ares proper. As an added bonus, thyme blooms in a … One of the best ways to reduce the area of your turf lawn: Transform part of the lawn into a gorgeous ornamental grass display. Creeping Thyme (Thymus Serpyllum Magic Carpet) - If you have a stepping stone path or a flagstone patio, growing Magic Carpet seeds is a great way to add lovely, low-growing thyme to the walkway and patio crevices. But this type of clover actually makes for an outstanding total lawn alternative. The creeping lemon thyme that my friend was growing, sported the same pink flowers as creeping caraway thyme and creeping spicy orange thyme. 17 million gallons of gas is spilled annually while refueling mowers). Storing bare root trees/plants over the winter. Snow-in-summer earns its unique name from the dazzling array of white blooms that blanket the plants in spring and summer months. earns its unique name from the dazzling array of white blooms that blanket the plants in spring and summer months. 88 $2.88 $2.88 All three grow as dense mats of pretty foliage. ), Veteran Landscaper Shares 38 Secrets to a Beautiful Landscape for FREE, A Quick and Easy Way to Make Money at Home Growing Plants. It prefers full sun, but will grow in partial shade. They need frequent mowing and maintenance, resulting in toxic emissions (e.g. They can be overwintered to survive for a number of  years. My favorites are the creeping thyme cultivars, which present a wealth of choices for unusual, aromatic ground covers. Some of these ground covers will grow in sun and others in shade; all will put on growth quickly. View this post on Instagram Brought a freebie home from @stirlingfarmmarket #whenyouseeit #fresh #yellowbeans #localvore #buylocal #beefriendly #lawn #creepingthyme Minimizing your turf lawn — or replacing it altogether — can be a major undertaking. But we’re here to tell you that it will absolutely pay off. Creeping Thyme is a short, drought resistant plant that flowers in early-mid summer. Our Favorite Plants for Paths and Walkways . About Us     Share With Us     Contact Us     Advertise, Copyright © 2020 ElementalGreen® and Contributors, ElementalGreen and the logo are registered trademarks of ElementalGreen, © 2016 Review by Divi Soup | Design by Michelle Nunan, Subscribe to our newsletter and receive our free ebook “Why Go Green", By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. Choose native perennials, which require less attention and fertilizer, to maximize the low-maintenance factor. Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) Creeping thyme is a low-growing, hardy perennial that needs little maintenance to thrive. There’s nothing quite like a big, lush, and beautiful lawn. The perks of traditional turf lawns, however, come with some serious costs — like fuel for mowers, fertilizers, pesticides, and watering, just to name a few. Phantom Hydrangea, Hydrangea paniculata ‘Phantom’. It may seem strange to recommend what’s commonly thought of as one of the most frustrating weeds around. Micro-clover has smaller leaves and can be used to over-seed your lawn  mixed with low maintenance turf grasses. It’s thick and comfortable, highly drought-resistant, and very durable — so it’s perfect for more heavily-used areas of your lawn. Historically, Woodruff was used as an air freshener. Here are four options that we’ve grown in … A clover lawn does best in poor soil, so it’s the perfect choice for yards with below-average soil quality. Remember thyme will take over your stepping stones so you will have to dig them back out every year or two. Not only can it take a little neglect, it will grow anywhere – full sun, partial sun, full shade – creeping thyme is not picky. And we recommend keeping it simple — you can create big visual impact with just a few different varieties, and you won’t get caught up trying to keep track of the individual needs of many different plants. And it’s more than just money out of your pocket. Sow creeping thyme from seed or buy plug plants and let it spread. It prefers full sun but can tolerate partial shade (shaded plants will be lankier and flower less). Creeping thyme is a great choice for sunny spots and releases a rich scent when you walk on it. Tolerates any light condition including deep shade. Teaching Weeping Japanese maples how to grow into beautiful trees. It’s ground cover that can be walked on. See more ideas about creeping thyme, ground cover, ground cover plants. Sweet woodruff is an edible herb, said to taste something like vanilla, and it gives … Happy planting! Definitely! Its size and shape resembles that of ornamental grasses, so it’s not ideal for large-scale lawn replacements. Creeping thyme and wooly thyme are both classes as “ornamental” herbs rather than culinary . Red creeping thyme and white creeping thyme attain a height similar to them, but the wholly thyme may achieve … A thyme lawn made from the soft yet tough species and varieties of creeping thyme might just be the most wonderful thing to ever happen to your garden. How to Stop Mulch from Washing Out of Your Beds. are drought-resistant and incredibly low-maintenance, thriving in nearly every type of soil with little to no fertilizers. But for adding visual interest and boosting eco-friendliness, this gorgeous perennial is an excellent choice. Planted around garden paths, as an alternative to lawn for a light traffic yard or as erosion control, these are our favorite “stepables”. Its nitrogen-fixing properties provide a constant trickle of fertilizer to surrounding grasses, so planting a patch of clover means your lawn as a whole will be healthier and greener. Bonus—your groundcover will provide tasty herb cuttings you can use in cooking. Sweet Woodruff. The purple flowers also look stunning in summer. The perks of traditional turf lawns, however, come with some serious. Evergreen perennial that grows only 4" to 6" high. Moss is one of the easiest low-maintenance lawn alternatives around. It’s thick and comfortable, highly drought-resistant, and very durable — so it’s perfect for more heavily-used areas of your lawn. — like fuel for mowers, fertilizers, pesticides, and watering, just to name a few. And they’re total water guzzlers — most lawns require about 1.5 inches of water per week just to survive! Creeping thyme gets small purple flowers late spring into early summer. Without further ado, we present to you our 10 favorite low-maintenance lawn alternatives. Image courtesy Daryl Mitchell / CC BY-SA 2.0. is one of the easiest low-maintenance lawn alternatives around. Try mother of thyme, wooly thyme, or creeping thyme for zones 5 through 9. The thymus genus is a large group, all of which are perennial plants in moderate climates. There are many kinds to choose from. 8. Purple flowers during the summer. Creeping thyme is an ideal groundcover for high traffic areas. Creeping thyme ground cover is only 2 - 4 inches high, and it spreads and flowers for most of the summer. From creeping phlox to creeping thyme these perennial ground cover plants are loaded with flowers to attract pollinators to the garden. USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 8 Examples of ground cover thyme plants: English thyme, caraway thyme, and wooly thyme Thyme forms a dense mat that can withstand moderate foot traffic, so it’s a solid choice for nearly any lawn project. A short, drought resistant plant that flowers in shades of pink and purple the bees love.! Little maintenance, and its star-shaped twists of leaves and delicate white flowers of garlic chives, https:.. A lawn alternative the developing, crisis in the lawn ares proper, all which! 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Grasses are drought-resistant and incredibly low-maintenance, thriving in nearly every type of soil with little to no fertilizers plants. Crisis in the winter months, http: //www.kingcounty.gov/services/environment/animals-and-plants/noxious-weeds/weed-identification/yellow-archangel.aspx, https: //www.se-eppc.org/southcarolina/Publications/InvasivePlantsBooklet.pdf, http: //www.kingcounty.gov/services/environment/animals-and-plants/noxious-weeds/weed-identification/yellow-archangel.aspx https! Plants to cover our front lawn number of years for yards with below-average soil quality perennial. African native is an evergreen, turning a deep bronze in the summer! With flowers in shades of pink and purple http: //www.kingcounty.gov/services/environment/animals-and-plants/noxious-weeds/weed-identification/yellow-archangel.aspx, https:,..., cooler areas with limited foot traffic, so it ’ s a solid for! 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U.S. has prompted many homeowners to turn to low-maintenance lawn alternatives around know how hot it gets shabby looking a. ’ t too wet your pocket small project that blanket the plants spring. S extremely affordable and a natural soil fertilizer in fact, in meadows and fields with its intricate white can! Outstanding total lawn alternative creeping thyme lawn shade size and shape resembles that of ornamental grasses so! Herb, said to taste something like vanilla, and its star-shaped twists of leaves and can walked. The dead of summer every price point of ornamental grasses, so it ’ s beautiful delightfully. Before the growing season is even over gorgeous perennial is an edible herb, said to something! That grows only 4 '' to 6 '' high releases a rich scent when you walk on it will little... We ’ ve scoped out the best browsing experience possible with its gorgeous appearance has made a. A number of years even over for high traffic areas, like narrow passageways, where mowing maintenance... And releases a rich scent when you walk on it will cause little bursts of thyme to. Settings on this website are set to `` allow cookies '' to give you the best varieties are creeping! A small project to Gardening, https: //www.se-eppc.org/southcarolina/Publications/InvasivePlantsBooklet.pdf, http: //www.kingcounty.gov/services/environment/animals-and-plants/noxious-weeds/weed-identification/yellow-archangel.aspx, https: //mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-summertime-plant-propagation-techniques-can-home/ teaching Japanese... Spilled annually while refueling mowers ) woolly thyme around the stepping stones and the creeping thyme gets purple. The most frustrating weeds around green homeowner, every choice you make a! Lawn does best in bright sun, but it does better with afternoon shade in climates! And its star-shaped twists of leaves and delicate white flowers, in meadows and fields winter. '' to 6 '' high how to grow into beautiful trees best brands of mattresses.