Silver Splendour

Silver Splendour By Pippa Greenwood

Why not add some sensational silvery plants to your garden? If you are partial to aromatic plants then there are several, such as the cotton lavender and the curry plant, that have both a pungent aroma and striking silvery foliage. They look gorgeous and need not take up much space. Hostas are herbaceous perennials suited to shady and somewhat damp spots. Their large, showy leaves come in a range of colours including some smart, silvery blues. Pair them with the somewhat silvery and densely hairy Alchemilla mollis for a great ground cover display. Lavenders are a good ingredient for any garden where silver foliage can play a part. They smell gorgeous and have a naturally relaxing quality for most people. Bees adore the flowers too. There are several silver-foliaged plants with a naturally trailing or cascading effect, such as Helichrysum petiolare with its long trailing stems edged with small, rounded leaves, each so densely covered with hairs that they are like silver coins. Ideal for hanging baskets, they create a waterfall effect within weeks of planting. For a year-round effect grow a variegated ivy, perhaps Hedera helix ‘Glacier’ with silvery-white edged grey-green leaves. Many of the small Artemisias have elegant silvery foliage, not least Artemisia ‘Powys Castle’, whose finely divided foliage looks like silver filigree lace. They are best grown in a fairly sheltered, sunny spot and will provide a fabulous display for many years. Sometimes that touch of silver comes in the form of seed heads. Those of the lovely purple or white flowered alpines called Pulsatilla are a delight, with a wispy silver plume on each seed. Some clematis have fluffy seed heads, with the silvery furry seed heads of the wild clematis aptly called old man’s beard. For shrubs, take a look at the Cotinus – most have wonderful autumn colour and the seed heads explain its common name of smoke bush! Many plants appear silvery due to a dense matt of short hairs on the leaves, some of which will become studded with water droplets after rain or a heavy dew. In a tiny space, for example a small window box, grow some silver with the houseleek Sempervivum arachnoideum with its evergreen, fleshy rosette of red-tipped leaves covered with a web of silvery white hairs. Many silvery foliaged plants have Mediterranean origins, where their dense hairs and pale colour help them withstand dry or hot conditions, making them ideal for a sunny and dry spot. Conversely, use a few silvery foliaged plants in a slightly shaded spot, ideally combined with some plants with large, pale-coloured flowers, and see how they make a dull spot look brighter. Combine silver foliage plants with some with very dark-coloured leaves or rich blue or purple hues for a magical effect, as the rich dark colours are brought to life with the sparkle of the silvery foliage. Plant silver foliage close to, say, Cotinus ‘Royal Purple’ with darkest purple leaves, and you’ll see what I mean. Visit Pippa’s website (www.pippagreenwood.com) to book Pippa for a gardening talk at your gardening club or as an after-dinner speaker.

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