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Q : I am putting in a rude rock-and-roll walk , and I ’d care suggestion for a scurvy tree creeper between the Stone . Would thyme be good?—Edythe Bertoldo , Blairstown , NJ
A : Thyme could be good , depending on the precondition it will be grow in . If the walk is in full sun all 24-hour interval and on sandy soil ( or with rudimentary gravel and sand ) , it will probably be too dry . Thyme is n’t exactly a desert plant . True , it take well - drained ground , but it flourish only when there is a regular supply of moisture . However if your soil holds H2O fairly well ( but is n’t waterlogged ) , there are some kinds of thyme that will process you well . Thyme can get up to a half - twenty-four hour period of shade and do fine . If the path is shadier than that , then moss is the best choice . The less you use this path , the taller the tree creeper can be ; but for a route you ’ll utilise day by day , stick to plants that literally hug the ground . Crushed , broken foliage is not attractive , and something only 3 column inch marvelous will be pestiferous to walk on . Also , remember that any plant is go to flower at some point in springiness or summertime , and the flowers will be levy above the foliage , sometimes several column inch higher . Culinary thyme ( Thymus vulgaris ) is too tall . The proficient candidate is probably woolly-haired thyme ( T. psuedolanuginosus ) , with under a half - in of gray foliation and pinkish flowers that reside on top . Or expect for a midget crawl thyme likeT. serpyllum’Pink Chintz ' , which rest under an inch . A visit to a good local herb nursery will be time well spend .
Sedums are the most drought - tolerant scurvy - growers . Stay away from the tiniest , Sedum acre , because it is very trespassing . Sedum kamschaticum , S. spathulifoliumandS. spurium’Dragon ’s Blood ' are the best prospect for fill in between your pavers . Since these are taller , they will appear best with a yearly clipping , ideally right after they flower . ( They will convalesce quickly . ) Moss is invincible between pavers , and there are thousands of kinds . develop your own is easy — with some patience and commonly a little subtlety . Since the spores are in the air , if you make the right conditions the mosses finally move in , normally in about a year . Keep the ground bare : no weeds , no leaf bedding . For a lush carpeting — which will take longer to fulfill in — make the soil too acid for other plants . Moss likes a pH of 5.0 to 5.5 , so have your soil test and then reduce the pH. To take pH down a period , supply either yellow granular sulphur or ferrous sulphate . Read the label cautiously , as the amount you should utilize calculate on soil character . Sandy territory need less than clay soil . The way you build the path is of import , no matter what you ’re implant . Make it at least 2 foot wide . Install an in - earth roadblock along the sides to keep forage from encroaching . Lay your pavers very tightly in the center , provide the largest gap for planting along the sides . To lay out the stage for moss and to forestall weed , I suggest acidifying soil in the middle . If you are using perennials or herbs , plant them along the edges and let them find their ways toward the center field .
