There are some creeping thyme varieties that grow fast.
I just love creeping thyme.

I am a newbie so no experience on the others. if I could I would sow creeping thyme in between all my plants or on border edges.

Karen

How much foot traffic will the area get, and how much sun and water? Annuals are going to be the longest-blooming. Creeping thyme can take a little foot traffic--more than most things that flower. I think there are white-flowering varieties, too, but I'm not sure how easy it is to find seed.

Alyssum may work for you, and it reseeds itself quite often. It needs a lot of sun to bloom well. Roman chamomile is shorter than other chamomiles, but still about 9" tall. I grew some for ground-cover, then didn't use it for that, as it looks so dainty. Other chamomiles are taller.

Feverfew blooms the first year, and it's shorter the first year--maybe 6-9 inches tall. You could let them go to seed, shake the seeds off, then rip out the plants! it self-seeds like mad. I don't think it's much of a ground-cover, though. The scent from brushing against it is pretty strong, so stepping on it would be really strong. And I just don't think it could survive being crushed like that.

Something else that blooms white, and even smells nice, is clover! That could take a lot of foot traffic. I don't know how long it blooms, though.

My German chamomile grew to about 32" last year, so I wouldn't recommend it for ground cover. But I was supplied with lovely tea all winter long...

{{gwi:364830}}

I winter sowed some Roman Chamomile a few years back, and it doesn't get tall for me ... not more than three inches, if that. Granted, I've only had the plant for two years, so I don't know if it's the type of perennial that grows larger in subsequent years. It has pretty little white and yellow flowers and smells really nice. Mine hasn't re-emerged yet. I don't remember if it had by this time last year or no. Hopefully it's coming back.

I have some creeping thyme that I winter sowed last year, and neglected it horribly. I wasn't sure where to plant it, and then forgot about it in the jug. I noticed a month or two ago it was still alive, felt horrible, and went ahead and planted it out. It's living after all that abuse, but I'll have to wait and see what it does this year. I've heard great things about it, although, the blooms are pink.

Laura,
Your chamomile is really pretty. I always thought it
grew closer to the ground. I don't want to walk on
any ground cover, because it will be in between
rocks. But I don't want it to get too tall or
it would just look like an over grown rock bed with
weeds. Or why go to all the trouble of buying
rocks only to have them covered up.

Karen,

About 3 years ago I put in a six pack of Mother of
Thyme. It really took off in that spot. It smells
great if you do have to walk on it. And it is a
bug/ bee magnat. Then last year, it looked all
woody and half killed off. This could have been
due to our ice storm, or maybe thyme needs
cleaned up and trimmed up to look its best.
If you don't want alot of bugs & bees, I would
keep it trimmed down. The flowers last forever!

It does reseed happily and I moved some around to
other parts of my garden.

Mo Girl,
I don't think you will have a problem transplanting
your thyme. I takes some pretty good abuse.

While looking for a white ground cover I came across
this. Looks like quite the little gem!
Check it out. I also checked to see if I could find
seeds over plants. And was able to find seeds too.

It may to late to WS these, I don't know.
Mary

Here is a link that might be useful: Greek Yarrow - Achillea ageratifolia

I grow many different varieties of thyme and have several creeping ones that I use as ground cover. One is very tiny and delicate and stays very close to the ground, almost like a moss. Another has white bloom. I think they were labeled as a"stepable" and bought at a nursery many years ago. I don't remember what color of bloom wooly thyme has but it has a soft texture and a graying color to the leaves.

Checked in my files and found tags for thymus praecox 'Albiflorus' Ht: to 4", white flowers
Also 'Elfin' grows to 3", pink flowers
t. pulgoldes 'Kermesinus' 2-4", pink flowers

Last year I ws "creeping thyme" that I rec'd in a trade and it germinated so well that I wonder why I ever bought plants rather than seed. Spreads rapidly in the garden.

I also like nepeta racemosa 'Little Titch' which blooms off and on all summer and is very short, says 8", but mine has stayed shorter. Fragrant foliage.