No-till without perennials is a non-starter since perennial roots are the primary soil builders and soil preservers – which Nature accomplishes effortlessly and with great economy. Perennial cover crops can be used in rotation to good effect, but then the land is tied up for long periods of time. 
I’ve been experimenting with using the garden paths in rotation with the garden beds. This means having wide paths (4 ft in my case) and having them seeded with a polyculture composed of weeds, grass and an annual clover. Kentucky 31 fescue is the grass of my choice, since it is a bunch grass which avoids the labor of constant edging and provides open spaces for the annual clover and weeds, as well as facilitates in soil breathing.
It is understood that with constant mowing such paths do not root as deeply as would perennials used directly in the garden beds, but this can be manipulated by letting the grass grow during the last couple of months before switching to a garden bed. To provide the most stable humus it is best to let the grass and company go to seed.
