Plants that are Great for Pathways
Let’s face it, not all plants can stand up to dogs, bouncing balls, kids and all around foot traffic. But there are some plants made for the feet-whether two or four.
These creeping perennials are very low growing ground covers that, when stepped on, bounce right back, and they come in a wide variety of color. Some favorites include blue star creeper, stonecrop and creeping wire vine. Miniature rush resembles grass but holds up to foot traffic. The choices are endless.
Before you rush out to buy your creeping perennials, you need to make an assessment of where you’ll plant them. For sunny locations, select something like thyme or stonecrop. If the soil is wet, choose plants like viola and Lysimachia. And also, how much foot traffic will the plants really get? The rule of thumb is this: The more delicate the leaf structure, the less traffic they’ll be able to withstand.
If your pathway is stone, soften the look of the edges by choosing plants that will give it some old world charm and make it look like it has been there forever. If the area is in full sun and drains well, Potentilla, an aggressive speader, will fill in the cracks quickly.
Space between stepping stones and pavers will vary on type of path. Plant a full plant in wider spaces for faster “fill-in”. In small spaces, use a utility knife to cut your plant into quarters. If the space is very tight, try slicing long slender pieces to tuck in. If your existing path needs more space, chisel out some of the original path to creat more of a gap for your plants.
A good place to visit these plants that are “Good For Your Sole” is www.STEPABLES.com.
The true test comes with help from the dog. If the plants can withstand him, they can withstand anything.
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May 12th, 2008 at 12:18 am
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