Gardening
By Pippa Greenwood
Silver Splendour Why not bring a bit of silver in to your life with some sensational silvery plants for your garden? If you are rather partial to aromatic plants then there are several that have not only a pungent aroma but also striking silvery foliage, such as the cotton lavender and the curry plant. With attractively divided silvery leaves, they look gorgeous and need not take up too much garden space either. The aroma is one you’ll either love or hate – it is up to you to decide! Hostas are well-loved herbaceous perennials often grown with great effect in shaded spots, especially those that are also rather damp. Their large, showy leaves come in a range of colours including some smart, silvery blues. When paired with the also somewhat silvery and densely hairy Alchemilla mollis they make a great ground cover display, and the Alchemilla will soon self-seed, giving more plants at no cost to you. Both the English lavenders and their French cousins (with rather more elaborate and often winged flowers) are a good ingredient for any garden where
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silver foliage can play a part. The aromatic leaves and the flowers smell gorgeous and have a naturally relaxing quality for most people. Bees adore the flowers too, and add to their silvery magic. You can even use silver foliage to create a water-free waterfall, as there are several silver-foliaged plants that have a naturally trailing or cascading effect. The best known is probably Helichrysum petiolare with long trailing stems edged with small, rounded leaves, each so densely covered with hairs that they are like silver coins. They are great for hanging baskets, creating a waterfall effect within weeks of planting. For a year-round effect, grow one of the variegated ivies such as Hedera helix ‘Glacier’ whose grey-green leaves are edged with silvery white. Many of the small Artemisias have the most elegant of silvery foliage, not least Artemisia ‘Powys Castle’, whose finely divided foliage takes on the appearance of silver filigree lace. They will look their best grown in a fairly sheltered, sunny spot and will provide you with a fabulous display for many, many years. Sometimes that touch of silver comes after
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