Corsican mint sounds like a great pick, especially if you get that nice scent bonus. I gave creeping thyme a shot too, but it just never filled in evenly—ended up patchy and sad-looking after winter. Switched to moss between stepping stones last spring, and honestly, it's been a game changer. Low maintenance, soft underfoot, and handles shade really well. Only downside is it can get slippery after rain...but otherwise I'm pretty happy with it. Might have to give chamomile a try next season though, barefoot luxury sounds tempting.
Corsican mint sounds lovely, but I had similar issues with creeping thyme—it looked amazing at first, but after winter it just got patchy and sparse. Moss sounds interesting, though I'm worried about the slipperiness you mentioned. Last summer I tried Irish moss between stones; it's soft and lush, but needs more watering than expected in dry spells. Curious about chamomile now...does anyone know if it holds up well to foot traffic? Would hate to plant it only to have it crushed flat by midsummer.
Chamomile can be pretty resilient, but honestly, from my experience, it doesn't handle heavy foot traffic as gracefully as some claim. I planted it between stepping stones a couple years back—looked charming at first, smelled amazing when stepped on—but by late summer, the busiest paths were flattened and patchy. If you're set on chamomile, maybe limit it to less-traveled areas? For high-traffic spots, I've had better luck with creeping Jenny; it's tougher and bounces back surprisingly well.
"by late summer, the busiest paths were flattened and patchy."
Yeah, chamomile does have its limits. I love the idea of creeping Jenny though—it's vibrant and super forgiving. Another option worth considering might be thyme; I've had great luck with woolly thyme between stepping stones in my backyard. It smells fantastic when stepped on, handles traffic surprisingly well, and adds a cozy, rustic charm that's pretty hard to beat. Might be worth a shot if you want something both durable and aromatic...
I've tried woolly thyme myself, and while I agree it smells amazing, I found it didn't hold up as well as I'd hoped in high-traffic areas. Maybe it's just my family—we're always outside, kids running around, dogs chasing squirrels—but after a season or two, the thyme got pretty patchy and sparse. It looked great at first, but eventually, I had to rethink it.
What ended up working surprisingly well for me was Corsican mint. I stumbled onto it by accident at a local nursery. It's super low-growing, spreads nicely without getting invasive, and the scent is subtle but really refreshing when you step on it. Plus, it seems to bounce back quickly even after heavy foot traffic. I planted it between some old brick pavers leading to our back porch, and it's held up beautifully for several years now.
I do like creeping Jenny visually, but in my experience, it can get a bit aggressive. I planted some near my herb garden once, and before I knew it, it was trying to take over everything. Had to spend a weekend pulling it back and setting boundaries—lesson learned, haha.
Anyway, just thought I'd share my two cents. Every yard's different, so maybe thyme works better for some folks than others. But if you're looking for something durable and a bit different, Corsican mint might be worth checking out.
