June, 1919 



THE GARDEN MAGAZINE 



197 



and was done entirely with the Woolly-leaved 

 Thyme (Thymus Serpyllum lanuginosus). This 

 is a close-creeping little plant with tiny roundish 

 leaves, soft gray in color and downy. Its color 

 and texture gave a most pleasing effect between 

 the old flag-stones and where it had spread out 

 over them in irregular patches. When one 

 walked along the path one was followed by the 

 most delicious fragrance. 



All the varieties of Thymus Serpyllum would 

 be delightful for this purpose. They are all close- 

 creeping and neat. The pretty "gold" and "sil- 

 ver" varieties are very attractive as are the soft- 

 hued magenta and crimson sorts. Few plants 

 have a better perfume than the Lemon-scented 

 Thyme (Thymus Serpyllum citriodorus), and 

 the dainty white-flowered Thyme is a real treas- 

 ure. In my own herb garden the Thymes have 

 spilled out of the narrow beds and even between 

 the closely set bricks have found a foothold, and 

 though they are frequently walked upon they 



seem in no wise injured. Along the edges of a 

 flag-stone path planted with creeping Thymes 

 some of the more bushy species like the common 

 English Thyme might be planted. 



Another sturdy close-creeping plant is the 

 Maiden Pink (Dianthus deltoides). This little 

 plant makes mats of roots almost like turf and 

 no amount of walking upon will discourage it. 

 The type has bright pink blossoms smaller than 

 a ten-cent piece, and there is a white variety. 

 The two are pretty planted together. The 

 leaves are small and shining. It is easily raised 

 from seed so that enough plants to fill a path may 

 be obtained at very small expense. 



For a damp, somewhat shady path the tiny 

 Corsican Mint (Mentha Requienii) would do 

 very well. It clings closer than moss and its 

 infinitesimal leaves give forth a strong mint- 

 like fragrance when bruised. Other plants that 

 may be used for this purpose are Mazus rugosus 

 (syn. repens), Arenaria balearica and A. caespi- 



tosa — the former is best in shady places — Linaria 

 hepaticaefolia, Cerastium arvense, Draba azoides, 

 Antennaria tomentosa, Stachys Corsica, several 

 dwarf Campanulas like pusilla and garganica 

 and the close growing Sedums like S. acre and S. 

 album. Indeed, the paved path provides an 

 opportunity for a very charming type of garden- 

 ing and one that requires little care once the small 

 plants are established. Along the edges, out of 

 the way of pedestrians, many other dwarf plants 

 could be grown such as Aubrietias, Alyssums, 

 Campanulas, Thrifts, Saxifrages, and Silenes. 

 Of course judgment must be used not to get the 

 plants in so thickly as to interfere with the use of 

 the path as a thoroughfare, for unlike the Thymes 

 these more tender things will not stand being 

 walked upon. When setting out the plants very 

 small ones should be used as these are much more 

 easily established in the narrow quarters. Be- 

 neath the stones there should be an inch or so of 

 good sandy loam. 



Using the nooks and crannies in garden steps for suitable plants helps the garden picture surprisingly and a greater variety of plants is available than for a flat flagstone path. The only requisite is 

 that the plants do not grow tall. The photograph made in the garden of Mr. Russell Robb, Concord, Massachusetts, shows a variety of flowering plants used which convert the otherwise repellant 

 stone steps into a serviceable and very attractive kind of rock garden 



