Suitable plants

Would creeping phlox or blue star creeper fit the bill or would the grass and weeds just take over?

How about leaving the grass and also encouraging more wild flowers to grow there?That would just need strimming once a year.

Is your patch of overgrown grass in sun or shade? If it’s sunny, I’d go with eddiecat’s idea of wild planting but first you would have to control the grass that’s already there.
Could you put a couple of photos on here?
I wouldn’t plant anything new this side of September. There’s a saying that no good gardener plants in August. Well, it feels like August is a month early this year due to the extreme heat and lack of rain. I would ask your garden helper to focus on clearing overgrown grass and weeds while you do some planning.
The area alongside the path sounds ideal for different varieties of creeping thyme but seeing a photo would help.

Don’t rush into buying plants until you have explored all the options. I always think that’s the fun bit!

Hi Luckygirl3, what about planting a few Lamiun maculatum. They are shade-tolerant and beloved by the insects. They have a lovely variegated foliage & pretty pink flowers. Another suggestion is Pulmonaria saccharata, it has a dappled foliage & curious flowers that are both blue & pink.
Not forgetting pretty little blue Campanula's. Good luck & I hope it looks lovely. 😊

Pics attached. Both get lots of sun.

I have a wild patch at the end of my garden - mainly beautiful tall grasses that wave in the breeze and lots of chicory.

Helpful lad is only here in the summer - the rest of the year he is in Australia.

I will look up the plant suggestions, for which many thanks.

Ah - the pics did not send - trying again

Pics upload not working.

For evergreen ground cover I like border geraniums and also Heuchera, which comes in a huge variety of foliage colour and flowers.

Never mind. Knowing it’s in full sun helps and needs to influence your choice of plants.
Another option could be an area of gravel border. I have a gravel garden and the advantages are immense.
I use a lot of pots as well as planting through gravel. Self seeders love it!
Plenty for you to think about. 🤔😂

My go to for awkward places are Cranesbill Geraniums, perennials, creeping varieties and manage to flower for most of the year.
Great Hardy Geraniums as Ground Covers
Geranium wallichianum Havana Blues (Cranesbill) ...
Geranium wlassovianum (Cranesbill) ...
Geranium x cantabrigiense 'Biokovo' (Cranesbill) ...
Geranium x cantabrigiense 'Karmina' (Cranesbill) ...
Geranium x magnificum (Purple Cranesbill) ...
Geranium x oxonianum 'Claridge Druce' (Cranesbill)

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202507/medium-d0xcrd-geranium-macrorrhizum-ingwersens-variety.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202507/medium-dcrv3s-ingwersens-variety.jpg

Geranium macrorrhizum 'Ingwersen's Variety' is a scented variety of cranesbill geranium which is undemanding about position or soil. When the flowers drop it very clearly shows the cranes bill seedheads for which it is named.

I agree with that. Another famous quote (I’m full of ‘em) from my horticultural hero, Margery Fish, ‘If in doubt, plant a geranium!’ 😂

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202507/medium-7s6wgs-img-2129.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202507/medium-g0vg7l-img-2128.jpeg

An example of close grouping pots on gravel to give the impression of natural planting.
Self seeded poppies and linaria are allowed a free rein.

I agree too and suggest geranium endressii also recommended by Marjorie Fish. Clump forming so keep weeds at bay

Perhaps Vinca, the flowers and leaves are quite attractive.

If going for a Vinca always go for Vinca Minor if its for a small garden area. As the other variety, Vinca major can be quite rangy & too tall for some smaller garden spaces. 🌞☀️🌞

Vinca goes well with geraniums. I have the variegated variety in my garden which is less invasive than Vinca major and easy to keep in check.

Are geraniums evergreen?

Some geraniums are semi evergreen which means they lose their foliage for a short time. The only fully evergreen one I’ve grown is
Geranium x oxonianum 'Wargrave Pink' which needs dead heading towards the end of summer. It’s a good choice for ground cover as it’s fast growing with a long flowering period.

The geranium Macrorrhizum mentioned by Elgran is evergreen.

Ajuga is low growing, and covers well. It can be invasive but in a separate area would be fine.

Pictures won't post, sorry.

My best friend and standby is Bergenia ‘Baby Doll’, common name Elephant’s Ears. So adaptable and neat in habit, with a pretty pink flower in spring.

There are lots of varieties, some very large, but not invasive and not scraggly.

Nasturtiums would be good in your gravel….they are best in poor soil, or gritty places. Look for the variegated Alaska varieties, they are neat in habit….also Princess of India….brilliant rich red.

merlotgran

Some geraniums are semi evergreen which means they lose their foliage for a short time. The only fully evergreen one I’ve grown is
Geranium x oxonianum 'Wargrave Pink' which needs dead heading towards the end of summer. It’s a good choice for ground cover as it’s fast growing with a long flowering period.

Yes, I have several, including Wargrave, Rozanne and a couple of others.

Just chop them back when they've finished flowering.

How might I stop the grass growing through again give that I can't really garden with my heart problems?