groundcover between stepping stones

I am building a pond and I want a very low hugging ground cover that could surround the pond and also be placed between stepping stones leading out to it which means it needs to hold up to foot traffic. The zone is 8B. The area is flat and receives morning sun but is mostly partially shaded. It has to be drought tolerant, a perennial, and I would love it to attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Am I asking for too much?

You want a ground cover that you can walk on that attracts bees?
I wouldn't recommend that

This is a great site to check out all the various low growers for your area
http://www.stepables.com/default.asp

My best choice would be Thyme, there are many time plants that hug the ground, as you trample on them as you walk by, they throw up the most wonderful perfume as the leaves get crushed, there is lemon thyme, that has a fresh lemon smell, this is a large family of thymes and there are many that only grow between 4-6 inches tall and spread along the ground.

there are many others but not many that can be walked on and come bouncing back, give a nice smell as you go and dont need any special treatment other than raise the mower blades after flowering is over and this is like dead heading, it keeps the plant growth fresh and rejuvinated and these p-lants will spread and last as long as you and I.

Good luck, WeeNel.

Check out each of these, especially for the tolerance for your zone. They will all grow in my area, and I have used them or seen them in gardens.

Walk on, drought, bees... any of several species of Thyme.
Mother of Thyme, Wooly Thyme and others. The lowest growing is Elfin Thyme. Slow, neat... I am not sure it has flowers, though (so no bees)
Partially shaded in a hot zone might not be a problem, but most Thyme prefers full sun, or nearly so in my area. (Mild summer parts of zone 9b).

Creeping Mint.
Not drought, but yes, walk on, fragrant, maybe some bees, not a problem to walk on them, Sun or shade so the setting you describe is good. Wonderful between stepping stones. Never a tripping hazard!

Toughest, maybe not great between stepping stones: Polygonum capitatum. AKA Persicaria capitata. Sort of wiry stems might offer a tripping hazard.

The lowest growing Yarrow (Achillea). Probably the shade is not great, but drought tolerant, and will handle the foot traffic as long as mostly the feet land on stepping stones. Flowers stand up, but not very high (if you select the right ones).

Chamaemelum nobile. This is not the chamomile you make tea out of, but a good ground cover that could work very well in your situation.

Phylla nodiflora, AKA Lippia repens Grows very tight to the ground, though it does have some stems. Not a tripping hazard. Bees seem to like it. Can be invasive.