This Gorgeous Ground Cover Is A Great Solution For Pesky Weeds In Your Yard

It doesn't take long for your flower beds (or even your whole yard) to become overrun with weeds, especially if there aren't any more desirable plants there to outcompete them. Adding a fast-growing ground cover plant to formerly bare areas is a great way to give weeds a run for their money while also beautifying your yard. One of the best ground covers for this is the beautiful and fragrant creeping thyme.

Creeping thyme is technically a name used for a few different low-growing species of thyme, including Thymus serpyllum and Thymus praecox. While these different species are similar in many ways, and both make excellent ground covers, it's important to be aware that they have slightly different hardiness zones — Thymus serpyllum is hardy in zones 4 through 9, while Thymus praecox prefers zones 5 through 8. Regardless of which species of creeping thyme you grow, you'll want to make sure you plant them in very well-draining soil. They're perfect for front yards with especially rocky or sandy soil, too.

In addition to well-draining soil, your creeping thyme also needs full sun. If your yard can't provide this, then you may want to consider growing different ground cover plants. But as long as these requirements can be met, creeping thyme is an excellent option. Not only does it quickly form dense mats that can choke out weeds, but it is also a great way to add evergreen foliage and beautiful pink or purple flowers to your yard and garden. Best of all, these flowers are pollinator magnets, ensuring your yard will be visited by plenty of bees and butterflies. 

Creeping thyme is an especially good option for gardeners in drought-prone areas, as it can handle very dry soil and only seldom needs to be watered. It is also deer and rabbit resistant. So, unlike with some ground covers that deer like to eat, you won't have to worry about waking up to find your thyme has been nibbled away in your backyard.

It's not just in garden beds that creeping thyme can be used to keep weeds away. You can also use it as a lawn alternative for your entire yard. Creeping thyme can even handle some light foot traffic, unlike many other ground cover options. As it rarely grows taller than a few inches, filling your yard with creeping thyme can make mowing a thing of the past. Creeping thyme needs far less water and fertilizer than turf grass, so it's not just less work — it's also more sustainable.

Whether your creeping thyme is growing as a lawn alternative or as living mulch around your larger landscaping plants, it's sure to quickly fill in thanks to its fast-growing nature and willingness to spread. This is bad news for weeds and their seeds, as the thyme will quickly block out their access to soil and sunlight. Trading out your yard full of different types of weeds for a yard covered in beautiful flowers and pollinators seems like a pretty good deal.