Between slabs on the sidewalk or the terrace, the weeds grow first and apparently nothing else. A great idea for those who want to avoid the annoying scraping out of the weeds is to replace it with appropriate planting. Plants between stone slabs, or in other words green joints, make terraces and garden paths look natural and lively and are a great design element for every garden. Today we are going to introduce you to a few attractive combinations and flat cushion plants that are well suited for greening the joints and can also cope with barren conditions such as drought , lack of nutrients, heat and footfall.
Plants between stone slabs for terraces
The bigger the stones, the bigger the joints can be and the better the joint plants will grow. In the case of planted pavement joints, the appearance is a bit more restless, while the effect is fully developed with larger stepping stones and concrete slabs with an edge length of 15 cm or more.
Why cushion plants instead of lawns?
Lawn joints are just like lawns in need of care, so they should be cut, watered and fertilized. In contrast to this, ground cover and the most perennial perennials are particularly easy to care for and can also ideally serve as a substitute for lawns. Alternatively, you can also consider using artificial turf, but that would hardly give the same feeling.
Which plants to put between stone slabs?
If the joints between stone slabs are wide enough, the plants can be placed directly in them. Seeds can be swept in for narrower joints. Regardless of whether it is for patios or sidewalks, it is important that the heart of the plants is well protected. Below is a short list of suitable plants between stone slabs.
Most thyme varieties grow in the manner of theppo and are perfect as plants between stone slabs. Sand thyme (Thymus serphyllum) “Albus”, caraway thyme (Thymus herba-barona) and field thyme “Coccineus”, for example, are particularly popular because of their low height. All thyme love a sunny location in dry soil with only a few nutrients.
Star moss between terrace slabs
Star moss (Sagina subulata “Aurea”) is actually not a moss, but a low-growing fattening herb that forms small white star blossoms from June to August. The ground cover is no higher than 5 cm and is therefore ideal as an evergreen natural joint between stepping stones or terrace slabs.
The star moss blooms from June to August
The star moss likes sunny to partially shaded locations and, with appropriate care, impresses with a dense, grass-like growth. Even if the upholstered plant is stepped on from time to time, it does not take it amiss.
Japanese snake beard variet
Ophiopogon japonicus “Nana Dwarf Mondo” is a dwarf variety of the Japanese snakebeard and hardly exceeds 5-8 cm in height. The plant is particularly hard-wearing and forms a beautiful dark green carpet. Ophiopogon is often used as a design element in Asian gardens, but it goes well with almost any other style.
Ophiopogon Japonicus Nana
The grass-like ground-covering perennial offers various uses – along paths or as an edging for borders. Since the plants grow very slowly and compactly, pruning will hardly be necessary.
Corsican mint between stepping stones
The Corsican mint (Mentha requienii) is only 2 cm high and requires a moist, warm location. The miniature mint can get stuck in tile joints and between stones and exudes a strong mint aroma. And although it is only moderately frost hardy, it can survive with a little winter protection or provide for offspring by self-sowing.
Isotoma ground cover
Isotoma fluviatilis (Star Creeper) is a hardy ground cover that reaches a height of 5 to 10 cm. It blooms all summer long and is easy to forgive when you walk on it. White and blue flowering varieties are available, for example “White Star” and “Blue Foot”.
Pennywort ground cover
The Pennywort (Lysimachia nummularia) shines in yellow-green and brings color and freshness to every corner of the garden. The plant grows to a maximum height of 5 cm and spreads quickly. It feels best in slightly moist soil and likes sunny and partially shaded locations.
Yellow accents in contrast to gray concrete slabs
If you want to add a nice accent to the front yard, then choose a yellow flowering ground cover such as yellow stonecrop (Sedum acre). It tolerates drought particularly well and has a carpet-forming, creeping habit. The yellow flowers can be enjoyed from May to July.
Green natural joints in the Mediterranean garde
And after we have listed some of the best types of plants for green natural joints between stepping stones, we would also like to show you a few cool laying patterns that you could use as inspiration for your terrace or sidewalk.
Green joints connect lawns and bedsp
Green joints between paving stones can beautifully connect paths with beds and lawns, as this driveway shows. The attractive combination between plant and stone is also emphasized by the interesting orientation. Parking lot or play lawns can be used for passable joints.
Parallel green joints
Clear shapes and straight lines are typical features of the modern architectural style and can also be easily integrated into landscaping. So you can use your walkable ground cover in parallel terrace joints.
Visually extend the terrace
Rectangular stone tiles that are laid in a straight bond are best suited for this idea. If you want to create optical space on your terrace, then you can try this variant.
Lay tiles diagonally
Terrace tiles laid diagonally (ie in a diagonal bond) optically create a diamond pattern and can make even a small terrace appear larger. It is best to get this effect with square tiles.
Stepping stones with an asymmetrical shape
Irregular natural stone slabs are the choice of everyone who wants a terrace or a garden path with a natural or rustic look. However, large gaps remain between the polygonal plates, which are usually filled with trass cement. The 3-5 cm wide spaces can, however, look much more interesting when greened with lawn or ground cover.
Red flagstones and green grout
If you want to emphasize the contrast, you can also choose stone slabs in a contrasting color such as brick red or anthracite.
Firm lawn joints
If you want to prevent the growth of unwanted weeds between joints, visually enhance the location with hard-wearing ground cover!