Mint can be surprisingly picky, yeah. Curious—did you try stepping stones or pavers with chamomile or moss in between? Seen that work nicely in shady spots, and it's pretty low-maintenance too.
Mint's definitely got a mind of its own—I tried planting some last year thinking it'd be a breeze, and it promptly decided my garden wasn't good enough. 😂 Ended up migrating to the neighbor's yard instead. Anyway, about the stepping stones with moss or chamomile, I second that idea. A couple years back, I helped my brother redo his shady side yard, and we went with flagstones and Irish moss. Took a bit of patience at first (moss can be slow to establish), but once it settled in, it looked fantastic—like something straight out of a fairy tale. Plus, it's held up surprisingly well through foot traffic and weather. Chamomile sounds intriguing too; I've heard it smells amazing when you walk on it. Might have to give that a shot myself next spring...assuming my mint overlords allow it.
"Chamomile sounds intriguing too; I've heard it smells amazing when you walk on it."
I've tried chamomile between stepping stones, and honestly, it's worth the hype. Smells great, especially after rain or when you brush past it. Just a heads-up though: it can get patchy if your yard sees heavy foot traffic. Still, it's budget-friendly and easy enough to reseed those spots each spring...definitely recommend giving it a go if your mint overlords permit, haha.
Chamomile between stepping stones sounds pretty nice, actually. I gave it a shot a couple years back, and here's my quick take:
- Smell is definitely on point—especially after a drizzle or early morning dew. It's subtle but noticeable enough to make you pause for a sec.
- Agree on the patchiness issue. My dog decided chamomile was his new favorite lounging spot, so it didn't exactly thrive in those areas...but hey, at least he smelled great afterward.
- One thing I noticed: chamomile seems to prefer decent drainage. I had one corner of the yard that stayed damp longer after rainstorms, and it struggled there compared to drier spots.
- Reseeding is easy enough, but if you're lazy like me (guilty), you might find yourself procrastinating until mid-summer when it's already looking sad. Lesson learned.
Mint overlords made me laugh because that's exactly what happened in my herb garden. Mint took over everything—thyme, oregano, even tried bullying the rosemary. Had to move it into pots eventually because it was getting ridiculous.
Anyway, chamomile's worth trying out if you're patient and don't mind occasional maintenance. If you're looking for something tougher though, creeping thyme has been my go-to lately. Smells good too (though different vibe than chamomile), handles foot traffic better, and doesn't seem as picky about moisture levels.
Either way, your outdoor space sounds awesome—cozy vibes are always worth the effort.
"Mint overlords made me laugh because that's exactly what happened in my herb garden."
Lol, mint really does have a mind of its own—I swear it’s plotting world domination from my backyard. Tried lemon balm once too, thinking it’d behave better... nope, just mint’s sneaky cousin in disguise. Creeping thyme sounds tempting though, especially if it handles foot traffic better. Has anyone tried woolly thyme? I've heard it's super soft underfoot, but not sure how hardy it actually is.
