The maintenance demands and environmental costs associated with traditional turf grass have prompted many people to seek out alternative groundcovers. These alternatives aim to reduce water consumption, eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers, and minimize or entirely remove the weekly chore of mowing. Moving beyond a conventional lawn aesthetic, these walkable plant varieties offer a resilient, more sustainable surface that can handle foot traffic without turning into a patchy, muddy expanse. The best choice depends largely on the amount of foot traffic the area receives and the specific growing conditions of the location.
Low-Mow Groundcovers for Moderate Traffic
For areas that experience occasional walking but are not high-volume pathways, several groundcovers offer a practical, low-maintenance substitute for a traditional lawn. These options often mimic the look of turf while providing significant ecological benefits.
Creeping Red Fescue (Festuca rubra) is a fine-bladed grass that forms a dense sod capable of withstanding moderate use and inhibiting weed growth. It is highly valued for its drought tolerance and its ability to be left unmowed, or only mowed once or twice a year, making it a sustainable choice.
Microclover, a specialized, low-growing cultivar of Dutch White Clover (Trifolium repens), represents another excellent alternative. Unlike standard clover, microclover is bred to have smaller leaves and fewer flowers, which helps to maintain a tidier appearance. Its primary benefit is the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen into the soil, reducing or eliminating the need for synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. This nitrogen fixation also helps the microclover stay green throughout the season, even during periods of drought.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) offers a different texture and is especially suited for sunny, dry areas where other plants might struggle. This plant features soft, feathery foliage and can handle light to moderate foot traffic once it is fully established. Yarrow is known for its deep root system, which contributes to its resilience in dry conditions and its ability to stabilize soil.
Dense Mats for High Foot Traffic
For spots that receive frequent and heavy use, such as between stepping stones, along pathways, or in designated play areas, plants that form dense, low-lying mats are far more appropriate. These species possess an inherent toughness that allows them to recover quickly from repeated compression. Various species of Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) are among the most popular choices due to their durability and low-growing habit.
Woolly thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus) is specifically known for its soft texture and ability to withstand considerable foot traffic, while other creeping varieties are often planted between pavers. A notable feature of thyme is the release of a pleasant, herbal scent when the foliage is crushed underfoot, adding an aromatic element to the landscape. Thyme also thrives in full sun and requires well-draining, even poor, soil once established, making it highly drought-tolerant.
Dwarf Sedum, a type of stonecrop, is a succulent that forms a heat- and drought-tolerant carpet. Shorter, creeping types of Sedum are robust enough to handle moderate foot traffic and are particularly useful in sunny, exposed locations.
Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) is another durable choice that forms a dense, apple-scented mat, although it often requires more consistent moisture than thyme or sedum. Rupturewort (Herniaria glabra), sometimes called green carpet, is a flat-growing perennial known for its extreme tolerance of heavy foot traffic, making it suitable for the highest-wear locations.
Establishment and Preparation
Successfully transitioning to a groundcover alternative requires thorough preparation of the existing site to ensure the new plants can thrive. The first step involves removing all existing turf and perennial weeds from the planting area. Methods like sheet mulching or solarization can effectively kill the existing grass and weed seeds over several weeks or months, avoiding the need for herbicides.
After the existing vegetation is cleared, the soil should be loosened to a depth of at least six inches to alleviate compaction and promote root development. Performing a soil test is highly recommended at this stage to determine the pH and nutrient levels, allowing for targeted amendments to be incorporated. Adding organic material, such as compost, improves soil structure and water retention, which is important for the groundcover’s initial growth.
Planting can be done using seeds, plugs, or small potted plants, with plugs offering faster establishment and coverage than seeds. If using plugs, they should be spaced according to the species’ projected mature spread, often 12 to 18 inches apart, to ensure a seamless, weed-suppressing mat forms quickly. Immediately following planting, a layer of mulch can be applied between the plants to suppress weeds and retain soil moisture until the groundcover fully spreads.
Ongoing Care and Maintenance
While these alternatives are generally low-maintenance, they still require specific care after the initial establishment period, which typically lasts one growing season. The newly planted groundcovers need consistent watering, often two to three times a week, until their root systems are fully developed. Once mature, most walkable groundcovers become drought-tolerant and can rely solely on natural rainfall, significantly reducing irrigation needs.
Weed control is primarily achieved by the dense mat the groundcover forms, which crowds out unwanted plants. However, until the area is fully covered, some manual weeding is necessary to prevent invasive species from setting seed. For some species, like certain fescues, an occasional mowing pass set at a high blade height of three to four inches may be beneficial to remove spent flowers or encourage denser growth.
Repairing wear spots is a relatively simple process for many spreading groundcovers. Thinning patches caused by heavy use can be addressed by manually dividing and transplanting healthy sections into the bare areas. A light annual application of a balanced fertilizer, typically applied just before the main growing season, can also help maintain the vigor and density of the groundcover, especially in poorer soils.