These gorgeous ground-covers are feet friendly! They make for great fillers between stepping stones and pathways, or even as lawn substitutes. Here’s a list to introduce you to some of the best varieties for stepable plants and in addition, valuable info about each plant.
Stepable Plants
1. Ajuga Chocolate Chip
A member of the Lamiaceae family, this herbaceous perennial hails from Europe. The plants tend to be 3-4 inches high with less than a foot of growth with flowers. They provide a light fragant blue -violet flower in the middle of Spring to early summer. They are also great ground cover for attracting bees. Grows well in zones 4-9
2. Golden Creeping Jenny
The Golden Creeping Jenny is a low growing stepable plant that can handle limited foot traffic. It’s grogeous green colored leaves produce a yellow cup-shaped flowers. I love using it in rock walls and containers. A sun lover at heart, it also does OK in part shade. Use in Zones 4-8.
3. Purple Mazus Reptans
Very tough and durable steapable. In Spring, tiny purple flowers appear. This is a fast-growing ground cover. Some have been known to use it as a lawn replacement. I love it between stepping stones, retaining walls, and in a rock garden.
4. Carpet Bugle
Another ajuga plant, the low-growing carpet bugle is one of many stepable plants. It hugs the soil and deters weeds. A gorgeous plant with lush waxy foilage and comes in a variety of shades. It is a hardy stepable and can be mowed.
Stepable Plants For Containers
5. Veriegated Ground Ivy
A good option for lawn replacement, or used in hanging baskets. It does get a little wild and crazy so keep that it mind when planting in beds or borders.
6. Double Bird’s Foot Trefoil
One of the most colorful stepables. It is also known as Lotus Plenus. Forming both a tight mat underground and above, the groundcover is plastered with organge buds that open up to be double yellow flowers. This will occur in late spring. Looks stunning on a small slope.
7. Wooly Thyme
Have a rock garden? Then you need Wooly Thyme. It’s hardy and can withstand poor soil conditions. It withstands light foot traffic. If stepped on, a beautiful aroma is produced. Some also used this as a culinary herb.
Stepable Plants With Flowers
8. Scotch Moss
Scotch Moss is as the name suggests, a native of Scotland. It’s lime green color and white flowers provide a splash of happiness in containers, mass plantings, rock gardens, or as ground cover. Needs regular watering and likes full to partial sun, therefore, find a nice spot that will work for this plant and watch how it instantly brightens that area.
9. Blue Star Creeper
For both sunny or partial sun locations, try the cute Blue Star Creeper. It’s lush mat of green foliage is topped with a light blue bloom that looks like a star. Use this between stepping stones and enjoy the happiness it brings. Zones 6-9
10. John Creech Sedum
If you have a hot sunny spot, try John Creech Sedum. With deep green leaves and beauitful clusters of pink starry flowers, it is a show stopper. For example, this plant is perfect for rock gardens and is tolerable of poor soil as long as it has drainage. Handles light foot traffic. Grows 2-4 inches in height. Learn more here.
11. Bronze Dutch Clover
A low-lying ground cover that grows well in zones 4-8. A dark bronze-colored leaf with green around the edges, the Bronze Dutch Clover is a garden stunnner. With white flowers it really creates a pop in containers, plantes, garden ponds, hanging baskets, and landscape beds. In other words, it’s hard to go wrong with this beauty.
Stepable Plants For Wetter Areas
12. Beach Strawberry
Beach Strawberry, or sometimes known as Sand Strawberry, is a great coastal groundcover. Glossy foliage with large white flowers that are deliciously fragrant makes this option a delight. Grows 4-5″ in height and blooms mid to late Spring. Full morning sun with afternoon shade.
13. Irish Moss
Often mistaken for Scotch Moss, Irish Moss is a deeper green color. It is great to help your soil retain moisture. On slopes it will help with erosin. In containers it slowly creeps over open soil. Low-lying (1-2″) and is great for between stepping stones. Perfect for higher traffic areas.
In conclusion, you can’t go wrong with any of these so which stepable plants will you try in your garden? Comment below and let me know where you used them. Most importantly, remember to add ground cover where you can.
Want more ideas for your pathways?
Grate plants… i also want to try this at my home. Thanks!
I’m putting in a Butterfly & Hummingbird garden…I have bought some stepping stones to put throughout my garden, but instead of mulch I wanted to put in *Stepable’s* Thanks for the helpful hints on which ones I could use. L.J, MI