You may think you've covered every inch of your garden, but you'd be surprised to find even the tiniest crack of space between paths and steps can be planted up. 

It's called crevice planting, and suitable plants are low-growing, dense, shallow-rooted and hardy.

Have a look at these variations on the theme, and see which suits your garden. 

Shady path

Shaded paths and steps will always be a bit more of a challenge when it comes to adding colour. But while there are fewer flowers that flourish in the shade, fabulous foliage plants, such as ferns and bromeliads, will come to the rescue.

Red bromeliads add splashes of colour to a luscious shady glade. This scheme works equally well beside stepped garden pathways and flat paths.

Herbal ramble

For a pathway or steps near a kitchen door, herbs are the ideal companions. Most of them are low ground-huggers, need little root space, and manage to look decorative as well as having wonderful culinary uses.

Golden oregano and thyme can transform the step treads, while a hedge of dwarf rosemary will provide a shrubby. A bed of mint will cope happily with a bit of extra shade.

Sunny steps

A set of rough-and-ready garden steps formed from bush rock is a typical backyard solution to a variation in garden levels. In a sunny location you can create a wonderful low-care scheme based on succulents, with a few flowering annuals thrown in for colour.

Golden calibrachoa and purple lobelia would be fabulous in a scheme of low-growing succulents. Choose succulents in a variety of leaf colours to create a tapestry effect.