Not all gardens are truly green. Disney horticulturist Jessie Mack Burns discusses the unique beauty of silver plants, shows how to combine them in a garden, and suggests a number of varieties that make good choices for different climates.
From a distance, silvery plants can range from almost white to iron blue. But up close, most have ordinary green leaves that are covered with white hairs or scales that shine with reflected light, or with a coat of wax that gives them a pale sheen.
Clues to a plant's surface type can often be found in its species name--selections labeled tomentosum, pubescens, canescens, villosa, or lanata have downy leaves and generally fall in the group of brighter, whiter grays. Argentea denotes silver in general, while glauca defines the moodier cast of waxy blue-greens.
The textured leaves of many silver plants hint at their native origins in dry, hot regions like the Mediterranean. Hairy or scaly surfaces protect leaves from drying winds by helping trap moisture and deflecting the sun. A waxy cuticle layer prevents moisture loss. The lacy leaves of sagebrush (Artemisia) and the skinny fingers of lavenders (Lavandula) show further drought-related adaptations that help make silvers tough and hardy in warmer, drier areas.
Silver plants have become quite popular in Southern California. A wide array-- from groundcovers to shrubs and trees--thrives year-round in well-drained alkaline soil with little care aside from occasional cutbacks.
Even when silver plants stand alone, they dazzle. Like an all-white flower border, a collage of icy foliage glows by moonlight. Mornings, too, find silver beds agleam with dew, pearls cupped and balanced on the leaves.
A few hardy souls will survive the season outdoors in a well-drained, slightly raised bed where their roots won't get wet then freeze--this is the worst possible scenario for a drought-loving silver plant.
Gardeners who want to enjoy a silver garden but don't have the time to maintain the plants during the winter can simply grow them as annuals.
Suggested varieties for silver gardens:
Ajuga reptans 'Silver Beauty': With its pewter leaves and pure white and light blue flowers, ajuga makes a gorgeous ground cover.
Artemisia 'Powis Castle': This scented evergreen shrub thrives in moderate sun.
Artemisia stelleriana 'Silver Brocade': A showy ground cover that boasts a blast of feathery gray-white leaves; great for shade gardens.
Artemisia 'Versicolor': This dwarf selection has a fine, powdery texture.
Ballota pseudodictamnus: A compact evergreen shrub with mauve blooms, this plant has a suede-like texture; it generally reaches around two feet in height.
Dudleya brittonii: From Baja, California, this variety features large, nodding leaf rosettes atop trunks that reach one to two feet in height. The plant is usually relegated to the greenhouse due to its sensitivity--its leaves, which are covered with a white chalk powder, shrink from frost, hail... even rain!
Eriophyllum nevinii: A California native, this lacy three-foot-high shrub features eight-inch white tomentose fronds that shimmer in the wind.
Gazania 'Sundrop': The metallic shine and cheerful yellow bloom of this South African native make it a favorite in a variety of climates.
Helichrysum argyrophyllum 'Moe's Gold': This downy prostrate evergreen perennial features white, web-like stems.
Helichrysum petiolare: Like a number of other silver varieties, H. petiolare reaches about two feet in height, but grows to be more than twice as wide!
Kalanchoe beharensis: Commonly known as the felt plant, this shrub is native to Madagascar and will grow to a magnificent 12-foot height in frost-free zones, thriving in either sun or shade.
Kalanchoe pumila: A low-grower (also from Madagascar), this variety will reach about one foot in height and yield downy, rounded one-inch leaves and pink blooms.
Lotus mascaensis: This Canary Islands native is commonly known as trefoil and makes a wonderful ground cover with its long, tubular flowers.
Plectranthus argentatus: This silver-leaf relative of the foliage plant known as Swedish ivy is a vigorous summer annual in cold regions and a sprawling perennial shrub where winter temperatures stay above the mid-twenties.
Salvia argentea: Known as silver sage, this biennial generally reaches four feet in height and features furry leaves.
Salvia canariensis: A fragrant, woolly plant with white spear-shaped leaves and rosy bracts.
Lavender cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus): This sun-loving variety boasts aromatic foliage and yellow button flowers; it generally reaches about two feet in height.
Sedum spathulifolium: This plant doesn't mind chilly winters or require blazing sun. Commonly referred to as cape blanco, it forms charming rosettes (blue-green-gray tinged with purple) and yellow flowers.
Sempervivum arachnoideum: A tiny, jewel-like succulent that hugs the ground; its gray-green rosettes are joined by fine, light-catching hairs. This variety is commonly known as cobweb houseleek.
Dusty miller (Senecio cineraria): This evergreen shrub handles cold temperatures well and will generally reach about four or five feet in height. It features white, woolly stems and yellow flower buds that require frequent clipping.
Senecio serpens: Shade tolerant and cold-sensitive, this South African succulent features thick, spreading leaves with a bluish hue--hence its common name, blue chalk sticks.
Lambs' ears (Stachys byzantina): Among the most-loved of the silver perennials, this spreading plant is furry and "pettable." It generally reaches about one foot in height.
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
