Gardens of Silver

A plant that can be found at almost any garden center or roadside stand is Cineraria maritima, better known as Dusty Miller. While the familiar form has become so ubiquitous as to be boring, there are other Cineraria that have a more interesting form and texture - if you can find them.

And don't forget Perovskia - Russian sage, which is now available in a few different forms, but all with the characteristic lacy silver foliage and blue flowers. 'Little Spire' is a fairly new release, and somewhat shorter than the others, so it doesn't flop about the way the originals do. But I have discovered that if you cut 'Filigrans' down to about half in June it stays more compact and doesn't flop.

And let us not forget Heucheras, many of which are frosted in silver over burgundy or purple. But that is getting into a whole new area - variegated plants. SO I'll stop while I'm more or less ahead.

These are only the most common of the silver-foliaged plants available. Almost all of them save the annuals are vigorous and over-enthusiastic, but if you keep them in bounds they will prove to be valuable companions in the garden. Gray and silver plants are almost always drought tolerant and so need little watering. Some of them flower in yellow - a combination that doesn't thrill me - but this is easily sheared off. And all of them combine with both strong primary colors and pastels.

Use a lot of silver in your garden and you will find it hard to make a mistake in color combinations, even if you try.

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