10 Best Ground Covers You Can Walk On to Create a Pretty Garden Path

Creating beautiful garden paths lined with lush greenery is easy when you use tough ground cover plants Unlike grass or mulch, hardy ground covers can tolerate a bit of foot traffic while adding color, texture, and charm to your landscape The best walkable ground covers also help prevent weeds and erosion while being low maintenance.

When choosing the best ground cover plants for walking on, look for sturdy, mat-forming perennials that grow no more than 12 inches tall. Creeping varieties that spread via above ground runners or underground rhizomes root well between pavers and stepping stones. Succulents like sedum and hen-and-chicks also make excellent walkable ground covers. Here are some of the best options to try

1. Thyme

Fragrant thyme varieties like creeping, wooly, and mother of thyme are ideal walkable ground covers for full sun areas. Thyme is tough, dense, and has a spicy aroma you’ll enjoy when brushing past. The woody stems and tiny aromatic leaves withstand light foot traffic while suppressing weeds. Thyme also produces pretty flowers that attract pollinators.

2. Blue Star Creeper

For shady paths, blue star creeper is a good option. This creeping perennial forms a green carpet accented with light blue star-shaped blooms in spring. The dense mat of round leaves spreads quickly to choke out weeds. Blue star creeper tolerates light foot traffic when kept consistently moist.

3. Sedum

With succulent leaves and a shallow root system, sedum withstands frequent foot traffic and dry conditions. Excellent walkable varieties include Dragon’s Blood, Angelina, and Blue Spruce. Tough, colorful sedum ground covers fill in quickly between pavers while producing summertime flowers.

4. Creeping Jenny

Also called moneywort, creeping Jenny spreads rapidly to create a chartreuse carpet of round leaves. In spring, it bears bright yellow button flowers. The dense mat has a medium green color in shade or lime green in full sun. Creeping Jenny cascades nicely over walls and tolerates light foot traffic when given consistent moisture.

5. Irish Moss

Irish moss, also called Scotch moss, forms a velvety carpet of emerald green leaves accented with delicate white blooms. It tolerates some foot traffic best in part shade with ample moisture. Avoid hot afternoon sun, which can cause Irish moss to struggle in warm climates. Trim regularly to keep this lush ground cover looking its best.

6. Creeping Phlox

In early spring, creeping phlox erupts in a flurry of delicate purple, pink, blue, or white flowers. The needle-shaped evergreen leaves spread to form a mat around stepping stones or on slopes. Creeping phlox thrives in full sun to partial shade and tolerates light foot traffic when planted in well-drained soil.

7. Portulaca

Also called moss rose, portulaca is a succulent ground cover that withstands drought, heat, and sandy or rocky soil. The fleshy leaves range from bronze to light green. Clusters of colorful blossoms blanket the foliage in summer. Portulaca tolerates occasional foot traffic, making it a good choice between pavers or along sunny garden paths.

8. Snow-in-Summer

True to its name, this hardy perennial becomes smothered with clusters of tiny white blooms in late spring. The gray-green foliage forms a dense mat that tolerates some foot traffic when kept moist. Snow-in-summer performs best in cool climates. Shear plants after blooming to encourage lush growth. It spreads well from seed.

9. Corsican Mint

One of the tiniest creeping mints Corsican mint forms a fragrant carpet of bright green leaves with tiny lilac flowers in summer. The vigorous spreader releases a fresh minty aroma when stepped on. Corsican mint thrives in partial shade with ample moisture and tolerates light foot traffic.

10. Dwarf Mondo Grass

With upright grassy leaves, dwarf Mondo forms lush pads that spread slowly. The dense clumps tolerate considerable abuse, including foot traffic. Mondo grass thrives in shade and expands through lateral rhizomes and by seed. This resilient, easy care ground cover is also deer resistant and suitable for planting between pavers and stepping stones.

When planting walkable ground covers, choose a gritty, well-draining soil and space plants 8-12 inches apart depending on mature size. Leave a gap of at least 2-3 inches between pavers for the plants to spread. Set stepping stones and pavers about 1-2 inches above the soil level so the ground cover does not overtake them.

Carefully water new plantings to encourage root establishment. Once ground covers mature, they generally need little extra irrigation except during drought. To prevent runoff, use ice cubes or frozen containers of water to provide gradual moisture release. Apply mulch after planting to suppress weeds. Remove the mulch once plants fill in to avoid trapping excessive moisture against the foliage.

On slopes and high traffic areas, opt for ultra tough ground covers like green carpet rupturewort, dwarf wirevine, or sedum. Be aware that certain succulents like hen-and-chicks may become slippery when crushed underfoot. For moderate foot traffic, try sturdy choices like blue star creeper, dwarf mondo grass, creeping wire vine, or Irish moss. Ornamental grasses and plants with small leaves like sweet flag and ajuga also endure some occasional trampling when kept moist.

With a bit of planning, you can create a gorgeous garden path or stepping stone area lined with charming, walkable ground covers. Choose tough plants suited to the sun exposure, soil, and moisture levels of your landscape. Maintain thick plant growth by trimming errant runners and prompt spring pruning. Then enjoy a lovely living carpet underfoot that adds beauty, prevents erosion, and keeps weeds at bay in your garden.