I think that you will be well satisfied with either. I've only had experience with Carpet...it's always been one of my all time favorite plants. It performs best in the full sun, staying compact and mounded and covered with flowers.

It is a true Brassica, however, and doesn't much care for long stretches of heat but sure is tolerant to cold. In the south, it is best used as a winter annual. Alyssum is lightly fragrant, and highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

I hope someone has had experience with both.

The ones with a strong scent are my favorites. Echo what Rhizo says, they don't tolerate heat very well. I've had them in the ground since last fall and will be removing them soon, replacing with dwarf marigolds.

I love the scent of Alyssum but don't bother with them because they poop out on me -- can't take the heat, even in my zone.

Well we live in Denver were it gets very hot and alyssum do very well but I find that they some varieties get leggy. They do need a good trimming about once a season. We are in Palm Desert for the winter and there are wonderful borders of them all over but no one can tell me the variety.

Any alyssum I ever plant here is completely eaten up by flea beetles.

I have both of these planted in the same area. They were both planted at the same time this past September:

Carpet of Snow:

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Snow Crystals

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Hope this give you an idea of what to expect "in the wild," as I find that catalog and website photos don't tell the whole story.

I sow whichever packets go on sale. I plant them as companion plants in my morning glory containers. The nectar and pollen from their small flowers attract beneficial insects which in turn reduce any population of aphids or mites I may have on the MG leaves.

Nice photos, Shear.

Thanks!

:)