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Delosperma as groundcover for foot heavy traffic

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Posted by Karolina11 6b Central PA (My Page) on
Thu, Jun 6, 13 at 18:14

We are in the process of purchasing a new home and of course I am already planning out the garden beds. I like the look of the look of the paths with large stepping stones close together but with grass inbetween. However, instead of grass I was thinking of planting delosperma. It did great in my garden last year, looked great blooming and everyone commented on the texture, plus there are a lot of colors out now. I have two dogs and I do not remember the delosperma getting tattered by them running around but I am unsure of how it would hold up in a foot path. Obviously I would have to put the stones close enough together so that there wasn't a lot of stepping on the delosperma but before I went and ordered a bunch of them, I wanted some opinions. Will it get too tattered with this sort of traffic?

Thanks for the help!
Karolina

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RE: Delosperma as groundcover for foot heavy traffic

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  • Posted by manifest USDA 11a, Sunset 24, (My Page) on
    Thu, Jun 6, 13 at 22:01

Most delosperma I know of are succulent and wouldn't hold up foot traffic. Delosperma are tough plants in terms of not needing a lot of water, but the fleshy leaves of the plants wouldn't recover if they were constantly trod on.

For heavy foot traffic, I would suggest wooly thyme or Platt's Black. Sea thrift has the look of grass, but flowers with cute little poms in the spring and summer. There is a dwarf variety that looks great in between pavers.

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RE: Delosperma as groundcover for foot heavy traffic

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Karolina, for heavy foot traffic, grass is probably your best bet. Just set the stones at a level so the mower can ride over them, and be sure to use the recommended base under them so they don't move with freeze thaw cycles. Most ground covers either have blossoms and therefore bees (which most folks don't want in their walking paths) or are better suited to light traffic. It is a great look to have plants growing between stones, but IMO is better along edges or on less used paths or on a patio out of the main traffic areas.

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RE: Delosperma as groundcover for foot heavy traffic

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Put the Delosperma on the edges where nobody walks.

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RE: Delosperma as groundcover for foot heavy traffic

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Thank you for your thoughts. Great ideas. I had not even thought about the bee thing! Glad I asked first! Thanks again!

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RE: Delosperma as groundcover for foot heavy traffic

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My patio stones and the area around my vegetable garden are filled with various creeping thymes, and when they are in flower the humming of the bees is nearly deafening. The bees are so drunk with pollen that they pay no attention at all to people. In all the years I have walked through these areas, i have never been stung. I wouldn't walk through barefoot, however, though I do walk in sandals.

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RE: Delosperma as groundcover for foot heavy traffic

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At our old location on the California coast I used Delosperma nubigenum as a ground cover. It was so attractive as part of our front landscaping I gave away starts to neighbors. Its one weakness is it would NOT stand foot traffic. Al

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