Thyme is the most popular plant for growing in such spaces. It thrives in heat, so it’s a good choice for hot, dry, sunny areas in Zones 5-10. Lemon thyme (Thymus Ycitriodorus) has lemon-scented foliage year-round and develops pale lilac flowers in summer. Wild thyme (T. serpyllum) has dark green leaves and purple flowers in early summer. Woolly thyme (T. pseudolanuginosus) has fuzzy gray leaves; plants produce lilac flowers. Several of the low-growing sedums (Zones 4-10) would also be good choices.
Goldmoss sedum (Sedum acre) grows 2-3 inches tall and bears yellow flowers in spring. Dragon’s Blood sedum (S. spurium ‘Dragon’s Blood’) has red leaves and rosy flowers on plants 2-6 inches tall. Rosette-forming hen and chicks (Sempervivum tectorum), hardy in Zones 4-10, is another succulent adapted to sunny, dry sites. Cobweb hen and chicks (S. arachnoideum) has a finer texture and interesting hairy leaves that appear to be covered with cobwebs. It can develop red flowers in midsummer.
Ice plant (Delosperma) grows only 4-6 inches tall and is hardy in Zones 6-10. Plants bloom most of the summer; in warm-winter areas they bloom through the winter as well. Depending on the species, the daisylike flowers may be yellow, deep purple, or red. Thrift (Armeria maritima) forms grassy clumps 3-6 inches tall in Zones 3-10. Pink flowers appear in spring in cold climates and almost year-round in warmer areas.
