Small tough flowers for tiny spaces?

Supercell

The steps to my garden have about 4cm on either side of them that is soil. Grass and weeds grow there in the summer and i'd like to put something more pretty there if possible.
I guess some kind of ground cover plant might work, anyone any ideas for something that would suitable? The steps get sun for about 3 or four hours a day and i'd say the soil is usually quite moist there as I often water the flowers and veggies either side.
I used a strimmer earlier so thats why the plants look a bit battered, normally they stick right out.



All ideas greatly welcome!

paddy147

Supercell wrote: »

The steps to my garden have about 4cm on either side of them that is soil. Grass and weeds grow there in the summer and i'd like to put something more pretty there if possible.
I guess some kind of ground cover plant might work, anyone any ideas for something that would suitable? The steps get sun for about 3 or four hours a day and i'd say the soil is usually quite moist there as I often water the flowers and veggies either side.



All ideas greatly welcome!

How about some nice low growing ferns.:)

Supercell

paddy147 wrote: »

How about some nice low growing ferns.:)

Thanks Paddy but Ferns, are ye mad?!!:D
Seriously, they would have to be very small ferns and i'd prefer flowers anyhow, i am flower mad. Flowers = bees= less b"£$% greenfly on the roses! (growing on an arch over the steps).

paddy147

Supercell wrote: »

Thanks Paddy but Ferns, are ye mad?!!:D
Seriously, they would have to be very small ferns and i'd prefer flowers anyhow, i am flower mad. Flowers = bees= less b"£$% greenfly on the roses! (growing on an arch over the steps).

Yep,Im mad allright.:pac::D

Small evergreen New Zealand ferns.They grow to 6-7 inches height.
And they have lovely green and black colours on the leaves.

Have them growing in small gaps and little places around the garden.

periodictable

How about campanula?

paddy147

Some pics....the bees really like the white campanula flowers.:)

Supercell

periodictable wrote: »

How about campanula?

They are nice, would they survive the occasional stepping on do you think?

periodictable

try these-if the Yanks can step on 'em they probably won't die.....


http://www.stepables.com/scripts/prodlist-plants.asp?plantPackage=ToughTen

bluecherry74

How about some creeping thyme?

http://www.seedaholic.com/thymus-serpyllum-creeping-thyme.html

It's tough enough to walk on and can apparently even be used in place of grass in small areas. Plus it looks great and is useful in cooking. I've just started some seedlings myself this year.

paddy147

Or what about some camomile grass
We have it on the allotment.


Bees love it when it flowers,and the smell from it is amazing too.Lovely strong scent from it.Very pretty and also easy to manage too.:D

Supercell

bluecherry74 wrote: »

How about some creeping thyme?

http://www.seedaholic.com/thymus-serpyllum-creeping-thyme.html

It's tough enough to walk on and can apparently even be used in place of grass in small areas. Plus it looks great and is useful in cooking. I've just started some seedlings myself this year.

That looks lovely, very much the type of thing I was hoping for thanks.

looksee

Agree, thyme and small campanulas, but also small ferns would be good in the less sunny spots - hartstongue (which is native) once it gets established will seed itself and looks lovely in small cracks.

paddy147

Dont forget salvia/sage...which bees love aswell.

Grows about 12 inches tall and has lovely slender purple flowers.:)

paddy147

You could also plants seedums aswell.


The bees go wild for seedum when its flowers.


Its low growing and looks like a green carpet,and when when it flowers its even better looking.

Goes a lovely redish-greenish colour in wintertime.

padi89

Erigeron/Mexican Fleabane, masses of flowers over a very long period and they change from white to pink.

seamusmacc

how about alchemilla mollis?

http://apps.rhs.org.uk/plantselector/plant?plantid=89

Geomy

London pride or some alpines. ..

looksee

Erigeron is an attractive plant, but more suitable for municipal roundabouts where it can happily take over the area and be restricted by the road! I think you would quickly be looking for your steps :-)