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Saturday, June 17, 2017

PERFECT PATHWAY PLANT

Do you have a hard time finding the perfect plant to fill in the spaces in your pavers? If you've tried thyme you know how much work it is to keep it looking presentable. The same with grass. But quite by accident I found the perfect plant.  Creeping oregano, Origanum vulgare humile.


I had originally planted it in my herb garden but finally moved it to a new home last year, outside the potting shed. It was more than happy there and began to spread into the spaces between the pavers. It's tight, low growing appearance makes it perfect for this application. The original plant was variegated but much of that has been lost with just the odd few places still showing their former character.


Just the odd trim now and then maintains its neat and tidy appearance. Because it is so compact it takes foot traffic well. I am hoping it will creep to the front of the potting shed door and replace the mint. In fact I am more than happy for it to spread throughout the paving. But then it would have to oust the mint and I'm not sure it could do that.

13 comments:

  1. So attractive! Jenny, do you irrigate that area regularly? I'm wondering how the creeping oregano would fare in full sun without much (if any) supplemental irrigation? I recall reading that oregano prefers hot dry climates but it feels like our Texas summers push those limits.

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    1. There is no irrigation in this spot and it faces SW so gets the brunt of the afternoon sun. It survived without my intervention last year so fingers crossed for this summer too. The next 4 weeks should be good test.

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  2. Good to know - I have tried thyme without much success.

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    1. I have thyme but it seems to need more water to do well. I am hoping that this will stand the test of time.

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  3. What a great idea! I could use something more drought tolerant than my creeping thyme in certain areas where the soil is so sandy (even after amendment) that it dries out nearly instantly.

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    1. It's pretty sandy underneath these pavers so it seems to like sand. Not sure how easy it is to find.

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  4. Thanks for the tip, will have to try it ! đź’š

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  5. Have the perfect spot to "try this at home". Did you get your original plant in Austin?

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    1. I did. It was probably at the Nat. Gar. I will be sure to save some for you if you can't find it.

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  6. Did not know there was a creeping variety of Oregano. I am going to go looking for it as I definitely have spots where it would be perfect.

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  7. The oregano looks fantastic! Does it ever get too tall and need trimming down, or does it just need trimming around the stepping stones? It looks great!

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  8. This sounds like exactly what I need! I didn't see any at The Natural Gardener the last time I was there, but I wasn't looking too closely at the oregano!

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