Maximizing Your Garden Space with Culinary Herbs as Ground Cover

Are you struggling to find the perfect groundcover for your garden space? With so many options available, it can be challenging to pick the right one. Some plants need sun, others prefer shade, and sometimes you just want something new and exciting.

Have you ever considered using culinary herbs as ground cover? Not only do they fill empty spaces beautifully, but they also bring the added benefit of enhancing your meals with fresh, homegrown flavors.

Judith Craft, the primary gardener for the herb garden at the Austin Herb Society in Texas, can attest to the versatility of herbs. She appreciates how herbs bloom in the shade and provide a variety of textures that other groundcovers may lack. Additionally, some herbs like trailing rosemary can be utilized for erosion control, making them practical and beautiful additions to your garden.

How to Choose the Right Herb?

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Selecting the perfect herb groundcover for your garden can be a fun and rewarding experience. With a wide range of growing habits, colors, shapes, sizes, and flowering patterns, there’s a herb out there for every garden.

Before making your selection, take these considerations into account:

Will your herb groundcover replace an entire lawn?
Will it act as fill-in spaces here and there?
Will you be walking on it or simply admiring it?
Is your garden space sunny or shady?

While culinary herbs make excellent groundcovers, there is one important thing to keep in mind which we’ll discuss later in this article. But for now, let’s explore some popular herbs that you might want to consider for your garden.

The Top Herb Choices for Ground Cover

Thyme

Light requirements: Full sun
Height: 2-3”
Foot traffic: Some varieties
Bloom: Lavender flowers in mid-spring

With over 300 varieties to choose from, thyme is a versatile herb that can make a stunning groundcover. One popular choice is Thymus praecox ‘Coccineus’, also known as creeping thyme or wild thyme. This herb is perfect for rock gardens, herb gardens, and as an edging along garden paths.

Other thyme varieties like woolly thyme and ‘Doone Valley’ thyme are also excellent options for covering paths or walkways, providing both beauty and fragrance as you walk on them.

Sweet Woodruff

Light requirements: Part shade to full shade
Height: 6-12”
Foot traffic: No
Bloom: White flowers in late spring to mid-summer

Sweet woodruff is a charming herb that thrives in shady areas, making it a great choice for under trees or in other low-light spots. Known for its fresh, grassy scent, sweet woodruff is perfect for making teas and infusions, adding a unique flavor to your beverages.

Creeping Rosemary

Light requirements: Sun
Height: 12-24”
Foot traffic: Hardy
Bloom: Lavender or white

Creeping rosemary, with its trailing growth habit, is ideal for sunny slopes or banks, adding both beauty and fragrance to your garden. While it may not be practical for heavy foot traffic, this herb is perfect for areas where you can appreciate its aroma without disturbing its growth.

Wintergreen

Light requirements: Part to full shade
Height: 6”
Foot traffic: Limited
Bloom: White with pink tinge, late spring through summer

Wintergreen is a unique herb that thrives in forest-like conditions. With its minty leaves, wintergreen is perfect for making teas or adding flavor to desserts. However, it’s essential to avoid using wintergreen essential oil in cooking.

Mint

Light requirements: Shade to part shade
Height: 1-24”
Foot traffic: Light
Bloom: White, pink, lavender

Mint is a refreshing herb that can add a burst of flavor to your garden. However, be cautious as mint is a vigorous grower and can quickly take over a space if not contained. Consider planting Corsican mint, a low-growing mint variety that is perfect for filling in between stepping stones.

Oregano

Light requirements: Sun
Height: 3-18”
Foot traffic: Some varieties
Bloom: White, pink, lavender

Oregano is a culinary favorite known for its rich flavor in dishes. Some oregano varieties like ‘Betty Rollins’ and creeping oregano also make great groundcovers, creating a lush carpet of greenery while adding a delightful scent to your garden.

Judith Craft from the Austin Herb Society recommends planting delicate oregano varieties along footpaths to release a beautiful aroma as you walk by.

The Caveat: Watch Where You Harvest

Now, before you rush to plant these fragrant herbs in your garden, let me share a cautionary tale. One day, I picked some oregano near my child’s play area to use in a sauce. Little did I know that my son occasionally used that area as his own personal bathroom.

It’s essential to be mindful of where you harvest your herbs to avoid any unwanted surprises! Always check with your family members and ensure your herbs are clean before incorporating them into your meals.

Embrace the Flavors of Home

By incorporating culinary herbs as ground cover in your garden, you not only enhance the beauty of your outdoor space but also elevate your culinary creations with fresh, homegrown flavors. There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of harvesting herbs from your own garden and using them in your meals.

Start planting today and experience the joy of cooking with homegrown herbs. Do you have any amusing herb stories to share? We’d love to hear them in the comments section below!