Creeping thyme is definitely underrated—I've seen it thrive in some tricky spots, especially around older brickwork. Micro clover's intriguing too, but I've noticed it can get patchy if the soil isn't consistently moist. Have you considered Corsican mint? It stays low, handles foot traffic pretty well, and the scent is subtle but refreshing. Might be worth experimenting with if you're looking for another option... Have you tried anything else that's worked surprisingly well in tough areas?
"Micro clover's intriguing too, but I've noticed it can get patchy if the soil isn't consistently moist."
Agreed, micro clover can be finicky. I've had decent luck with woolly thyme in similar tough spots—handles drought surprisingly well. Ever experimented with sedums or other succulents for tricky areas?
"Ever experimented with sedums or other succulents for tricky areas?"
Funny you mention sedums—I tried them last summer in a spot that gets baked by afternoon sun, and they've been champs so far. Woolly thyme sounds interesting too, might give that a shot next. Honestly, micro clover drove me nuts... looked great at first, but then got patchy and sad-looking after a dry spell. Guess my yard's just too moody for it, lol.
Sedums are decent, but hens-and-chicks have been the real winner for me. Tossed a few in a rocky patch by my driveway that cooks all afternoon, and they're thriving without any fuss. Wish I could say the same about creeping thyme—it looked promising at first, but just couldn't handle the heat. Might've been user error though... gardening's always trial and error around here.
Hens-and-chicks are pretty tough little guys, I'll give you that, but honestly creeping thyme has been my hero. I planted some between stepping stones on a path that gets blasted by sun all day, and it's been spreading like crazy. Maybe yours just didn't get established enough before the heat kicked in? I had to baby mine a bit at first—regular watering until they settled—but now they're practically bulletproof.
Funny thing is, my hens-and-chicks keep getting dug up by squirrels or something. Every morning I find a few uprooted and tossed aside like they're rejects from some garden reality show. So much for fuss-free succulents, right? Gardening really is trial and error... with extra emphasis on the error part in my yard.
If you're still open to trying groundcovers, have you ever given woolly thyme a shot? It's fuzzy, handles heat well, and bonus points—it feels awesome under bare feet. Just a thought if you haven't totally sworn off thyme yet.
