Silver and grey coloration in plants often come because they are covered with either fine hairs or a waxy substance that creates a silvery look. This makes many silver leafed plants drought tolerant, as the coating helps the plants to retain water – something much more desirable in plants than in people.
Beware, though – many silver plants are also garden thugs, running rampant over their more polite bedmates. Even thugs have their place in some gardens, so let’s take a look starting with the more invasive species and moving to the safer types.
Artemisia Most forms of Artemisia are prone to running amok. Without great vigilance on the gardener’s part they will pop up everywhere. A couple of them are more polite. The best is Artemisia schmidtiana ‘Silver Mound’ which forms a rounded shape that looks almost sculpted. It tends to flop in the heat of summer but can be cut back and will resume its tidy shape in no time.
Artemisia canescens (A. versicolor) is a low grower that is lacy and delicate and a good spreader without being invasive. Given excellent drainage, A. ‘Powis Castle is also well mannered.
Stachys Often called Lamb’s Ears because of their soft, velvety texture, Stachys byzantina makes a lovely ribbon of silver when used as a border plant. Cut the pink flowers off before they go to seed or that border will soon become a sheet. Buy the non-flowering varieties, Stachys ‘Silver Carpet’ or S. ‘Big Ears’ for a more polite, drought tolerant edging.
Cerastium tomentosum Better known as Snow in Summer, this plant has grey-white foliage and at bloom time is covered in tiny white blossoms. It works well in a rock garden, or a rock wall, but is a vigorous grower best confined.
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