The soft, silvery filigree of
'Silvermound' artemisia is a
perfect foil for bolder plants like
hosta.

Texture-Rich Silver

Silver enchants green-dominated landscapes, visually underlining variations in greens that would otherwise go unnoticed. In hot, arid regions, silver stands in for green as the staple foliage color. Fuzzy silver-leaf plants have hairs that insulate against summer's heat and drought. This hairy coating gives silver its special reflective qualities.

Silver plants, whether the jagged leaves of an artichoke and its relatives, thistle and cardoon, or the wispy lace of 'Powis Castle' artemisia, weave fascinating textures into the border. Who can resist touching the plush leaves of lamb's ears, a favorite silver edger?

Related Slide Show: Best Silver-Leaf Plants for Your Garden

 

Gray 'Spilled Milk' lungwort sets
off the intense color of 'Johnson's
Blue' cranesbill.

Almost any color scheme has space for silver, but it blends especially well with pastels: pale pinks, blues, yellows, lavender, and white. Silver's ethereal appearance makes pastels stand out like lighted candles.

As a foil to brilliant-color flowers, silver cools and tames. It brings together hot hues that otherwise appear garish. Silver-splattered foliage plants, including pulmonaria and lamium, also put a shine in the border. They're even more valuable because of their tolerance for shade.

Related Feature: Creating Colorful Foliage Gardens