Weeds grow first between slabs on the sidewalk or patio and seemingly nothing else. A great idea for anyone who wants to save themselves the hassle of pulling out weeds is to replace it with appropriate planting. Plants between stone slabs, or in other words green joints, make terraces and garden paths appear natural and lively and are a great design element for any garden. Today we are introducing you to a few attractive combinations and flat cushion plants that are well suited for greening joints and can also cope with barren conditions such as drought, lack of nutrients, heat and foot traffic.
The larger the stones, the larger the joints can be and the better the joint plants will grow.For planted paving jointsThe appearance appears a little more restless, while the effect is fully developed with larger stepping stones and concrete slabs with edges longer than 15 cm.
Why cushion plants instead of lawn?
Lawn joints, like lawns, require care, which is why they should be cut, watered and fertilized. In contrast, ground cover and perennials are particularly easy to care for and can also serve as ideal replacements for lawns. Alternatively, you could consider using artificial turf, but that would hardly provide the same feeling.
Which plants are suitable for this?
If the joints between stone slabs are wide enough, the plants can be placed directly into them. For narrower joints, you can have seeds swept in. Regardless of whether it is for terraces or sidewalks, it is important that the heart of the plants is well protected. Below you will find a short list of suitable plants between stone slabs.
Most thyme varieties grow in a twig-like manner and are perfect as plants between stone slabs. Sand thyme (Thymus serphyllum) “Albus”, caraway thyme (Thymus herba-barona) and field thyme “Coccineus”, for example, are particularly popular because of their low height. All thymes love a sunny location in dry soil with only a few nutrients.
Sternmoos
Star moss (Sagina subulata “Aurea”) is not strictly speaking a moss, but a low-growing mastwort that produces small white star flowers from June to August. The ground cover does not grow higher than 5 cm and is therefore ideal as an evergreen natural joint between stepping stones or patio slabs.
The star moss likes sunny to semi-shady locations and, when cared for appropriately, impresses with its dense, lawn-like growth. Even if the cushion perennial is walked on from time to time, it doesn't take offense.
Japanese snake beard variety
Ophiopogon japonicus “Nana Dwarf Mondo” is a dwarf variety of the Japanese snake beard and barely exceeds 5-8 cm in height. The plant is particularly sturdy and forms a beautiful dark green carpet. Ophiopogon is often used as a design element in Asian gardens, but also fits into almost any other style.
The grass-like ground-cover perennial offers various uses - along paths or as an edging for borders. Since the plants grow very slowly and compactly, pruning will hardly be necessary.
Corsican mint
The Corsican mint (Mentha requienii) is only 2 cm high and requires a moist, warm location. The miniature mint can settle in panel joints and between stones and exudes a strong mint aroma. And although it is only moderately frost hardy, it can survive with a little winter protection or provide offspring through self-sowing.
Isotoma ground cover
Isotoma fluviatilis (Star Creeper) is a hardy ground cover that reaches a height of 5 to 10 cm. It blooms all summer long and is easily forgiving when walked on. White and blue flowering varieties are available, for example “White Star” and “Blue Foot”.
Pennywort ground cover
The pennywort (Lysimachia nummularia) shines in yellow-green and brings color and freshness to every corner of the garden. The plant grows to a maximum height of 5 cm and spreads quickly. It does best in slightly moist soil and likes sunny and partially shaded locations.
If you want to add a beautiful accent to your front garden, choose a yellow-flowering ground cover such as the yellow stonecrop (Sedum acre). It tolerates drought particularly well and has a carpet-forming, creeping habit. The yellow flowers can be enjoyed from May to July.
And after we have listed a few of the best plant species for green natural joints between stepping stones, we would also like to show you a few cool laying patterns that you could use as inspiration for your patio or walkway.
Green joints between paving stones can beautifully connect paths with beds and lawns, as this driveway shows. The attractive combination between plant and stone is also emphasized by the interesting orientation. Parking lot or play turf can be used for driveable joints.
Clear shapes and straight lines are typical features of the modern architectural style and can easily be integrated into landscaping. This means you can use your walkable ground cover in parallel terrace joints.
Rectangular stone tiles that are laid in a straight pattern are best suited for this idea. If you want to create visual space on your terrace, then you can try this variant.
Terrace tiles laid diagonally (ie in a diagonal bond) visually create a diamond pattern and can make even a small terrace appear larger. This effect is best achieved with square tiles.
Irregular natural stone slabs are the choice of anyone who wants a terrace or garden path with a natural or rustic look. However, large gaps remain between the polygonal panels, which are usually filled with trass cement. However, the 3-5 cm wide spaces can look much more interesting if planted with lawn or ground cover.
If you want to further emphasize the contrast, you can also choose stone slabs in a contrasting color, such as brick red or anthracite.
If you want to prevent unwanted weeds from growing between joints, visually enhance the location with sturdy ground cover!
