Colored gravel or cement should do the trick. If you want plants, you're going to have snails, spiders, roly-pollies and other living things.

I like Scaevola.

Here's a link with a fairly comprehensive list.

http://www.thegardenhelper.com/suncovers.html

Star jasmine is overdone in So. CA, but for a reason. Pretty in the spring when it blooms, attractive dark green foliage otherwise, once established does well with limited water.

Don't worry too much about snails, etc. You can use Sluggo for snails (or your foot). Roly pollies can munch on tender seedlings (I've seen it so no one argue with me please), but probably will not bother established plants.

My African Daisy is Arctotis Acaulis. I've never noticed a snail problem. I really hate snails and avoid plants that I know from experience attract them. It would be nice if there was a list of plants that snails love. The worst, in my experience, is Acanthus Mollis.

When necessary I use a non toxic to animals type bait. One good thing about it is that the snails crawl away to die after eating it. No offensive dead snails that way.

I replaced my African Daisies with Gazania Rigens, specifically the Christiana variety. They're full of rollie pollies, but I don't mind. The evergreen foliage and constant blooms are worth it.

I have a well-established border of star jasmine - no problem with these - just need to cut them back a few times a year. I looked for the other plants that were suggested but did not find them.

The African Daises were along the border of the sidewalk coming from the street to the front door. I kept the Santa Barbara daisies that border the street - the snails like these as well, but at least I'm not crunching them as I walk out my front door.

I planted Geranium Rozanne, which attracts pollinators and appears to be of no interest to the snails.For bold color, I caved into my longing for hybrid tea roses - not exactly drought-tolerant, but they are enjoying the full sun my yard offers.

The border next to the sidewalk coming into my house is still vacant - waiting for inspiration.

Hate to tell you, but there are not really that many pretty ornamentals that grow well in your climate. African daisies are probably one of the prettiest that are low-maintenance and drought tolerant.

Natal plum is commonly planted in Southern California, the bush is full of thorns but at night the little white flowers are fragrant and very pleasant smelling. They also produce little red fruits at certain times of the year (the fruits are not poisonous but are more ornamental than edible).

Pomegranates are one of the few fruit trees that grow exceedingly well in the climate of Southern California. Even if you do not like eating pomegranates, the shape of the fruits are very ornamental, in my opinion. And you have probably never tried fresh squeezed pomegranate juice, the taste is much much better than the stuff they sell at the store. I'm not sure why there are not more people growing pomegranates in SoCal.

Probably because they're incredibly messy and they stain everything the fruit drops onto!

i used to have some in my yard and it was awful.

U could do a delosperma or a drosanthumum both ice plant and both flower.

Some ice plants have become invasive in Southern California and are considered pests - replacing native plants.

Snails are attacking the new Salvia I planted - I have lost 6 salvias in the past year.