Has anyone done an herb "lawn"?

I need to take a more proactive stance against weedy stuff in small areas. It's a losing battle and takes up so much time. Grass isn't particularly practical since I can't even get a mower in some places and the areas are "textured" because of the drainage around the house. The weed whacker just kind of blows the grass down without actually cutting it and it doesn't look good. So I'm thinking that I should just till these small areas and throw down herb seeds. I like mint because it repels rodents and I know it will take over a given space eventually but I was wondering if there are any other really hardy herbs that push out other stuff and take over.

If you want a bush, rosemary is a pretty hearty bush-like herb that you might consider. It's more like a bush than a ground cover, though, and I don't really know how it is in MA. I've seen a few pretty big rosemary plants in NC but some have been lost to mites in the past year or two. In our yard, English ivy has been taking over everything and I am having trouble keeping ahead of it taking over bedding areas and killing our evergreen trees.

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Originally Posted by smartrock

If you want a bush, rosemary is a pretty hearty bush-like herb that you might consider. It's more like a bush than a ground cover, though, and I don't really know how it is in MA. I've seen a few pretty big rosemary plants in NC but some have been lost to mites in the past year or two. In our yard, English ivy has been taking over everything and I am having trouble keeping ahead of it taking over bedding areas and killing our evergreen trees.

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I haven't been successful with rosemary here. It dies off every year. I had huge bushes in Tucson. Loved it. They use it as landscaping at the malls. Our goats keep the English ivy backed off but I hear you about taking over. Once it gets a foothold, it chokes everything else out. Don't you guys get kudzu too?

We're actually currently in Maryland but yes, in NC, kudzu grows before your eyes.

Unless you've really got you heart set on herbs, I'd suggest Houttoynia. That stuff really (!!!) takes over. This link....the reviews...pretty much says it all. I love the stuff.

Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon' - Plant Finder

I don't have herbs but there are some marketed for such purpose. If you google "walk on ables" I think you will get some ideas. Most don't take a lot of walking on. Creeping thyme is one I know of. I do have some Pachysandra Pachysandra Growing Zone: Information On Pachysandra Plant Care in the narrow spot between our house and next door fence that we don't walk on except to attend to the AC or the metre reader to read the hydro metre. It's quite controlled for us but we really don't have the rich soil it likes.

This time of year Crown Vetch is in bloom and it's beautiful, to my eye. It's used by roads crews to stabilize banks. Crown Vetch: Use with Caution - Dave's Garden As the link says, use with caution.

Anything that covers well and spreads easily may be considered invasive in your area and even banned. If no banned you might still regret putting it in. I think I have finally eradicated some goutweed I put in. Some plants are hazardous to some animals, or, encourage them.

We planted crown vetch on a hillside at a home we owned in Missouri to try to avoid having to mow a steep hill. It's kind of pretty from a distance, up close I'm not as fond of it. The flowers look like purple clover, the plants themselves got a bit leggy and we ended up getting a lawn service to cut it back to lawn level periodically. It did control erosion, though! I didn't know what it was before we had it planted. I'd try to see it in person to decide if you want it, it's not a low growing plant.

I wonder if a low growing ornamental grass would work. I planted mondo grass around the edges of a pool deck, once upon a time when we had a pool, and it looked really nice. Mondo Grass Information And Care – Tips On Growing Mondo Grass In Gardens We also have pachysandra that is thick and spreading at our current home, vying for space with the ivy. A friend had sweet woodruff growing in her shady back yard that I thought was also lovely. Sweet Woodruff Care: How To Grow Sweet Woodruff Ground Cover

I had mint that took over in a not good way. Never again. I have had success with thyme, sage and rosemary in small areas.

Consider a native or naturalized low-growing grass or ground cover. Once established - accomplishing that can take a little work - it should largely take care of itself.


The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is an authoritative source for native/naturalized plants. They have a great searchable database. I did a search on Massachusetts, Grass/grass-like, perennial, 0-1 feet tall and got 35 hits. This link should work. I imagine you could narrow the results by sun and moisture aspects. They also have a list of native plant suppliers.

What about periwinkle? Mom used it on a steep hill in the front yard. Vinca is good too.

In some spots I have what are called "walk upons". Hearty, comes back every year, stays low to the ground, no mowing. They tolerate walking on them although not heavy traffic. There's a pretty good variety of selections.

I found mint takes over; took me years to totally get rid of one patch.