Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear) in this morning’s sunlight
Time again for Garden Bloggers Foliage Day (GBFD), hosted by Christina at Garden of the Hesperides.
When I showed a tour of the garden several days ago, I saved one section along the Southern Path to feature for foliage day. On both sides of the walkway silvery Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear) and further back, gray-green Lychnis coronaria (Rose Campion), add enchantment to this border. Both are full of buds. [Note: In an earlier version I had mislabeled the Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear) as Lychnis coronaria (Rose campion).]
Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear) and Lychnis coronaria (Rose Campion) several days ago
Budding Stachys byzantina (Lamb’s Ear)
Further down the path toward the main garden, spears of Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’ are making ready to bloom. I like the soft green leaves.
Baptisia ‘Purple Smoke’
More soft green in this border comes from the tender young foliage of Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) and from a mound of Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ (Wormwood).
Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)
Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ (Wormwood)
I spotted a down-the-street neighbor working in her yard Saturday. She remembered I had inquired about getting some of her Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ (Hardy Chrysanthemum) when she was ready to divide them. The next day I discovered a nice clump of them in a pot on my porch.
Chrysanthemum ‘Sheffield Pink’ (Hardy Chrysanthemum)
After errands yesterday morning I visited the nursery at Southern States (along with half of Chapel Hill! It was very busy.) Everyone is excited to be out planting this time of year. I found another gardenia to try and planted it along the back fence. This is Gardenia jasminoides ‘Frost Proof’ (Gardenia ‘Frost Proof’).
Gardenia jasminoides ‘Frost Proof’ (Gardenia ‘Frost Proof’)
Also I brought home a few new plants with colorful and textured foliage.
New purchase from Southern States
This one with silvery foliage is Arctotis hybrid ‘Orange’ (Orange African Daisy). I bought it to accompany some small orange zinnias.
Arctotis hybrid ‘Orange’ (Orange African Daisy)
The others I bought to insert into some bare spot around the garden—one Alternanthera ‘Red Threads’ and two Amaranto tricolor ’True Yellow’ (Joseph’s coat). After I got home I became nervous when reading about them online. They seem to be rather reliable spreaders.
Should I keep them in pots or try them in ground?
I often wonder what gardening would be like if I were not always trying to pull out some things that have become too aggressive. I have never been intrigued much by time travel but a time machine would come in handy to eliminate certain plants.
Alternanthera ‘Red Threads’
Amaranto tricolor ’True Yellow’ (Joseph’s coat)
Visit Christina at Garden of the Hesperides for a look around her garden in Italy and find links to foliage posts from many parts of the world.
pbmGarden 
Your Lychnis always looks much more attractive than mine, but then looking more closely it looks more like Stachys bizantina! Love the look of your new purchases, the colour of the Amaranto tricolor ’True Yellow’ is amazing.
Christina you are right! Thanks for catching that. I’ve updated the post. The rose campion is planted there also. I don’t often use yellow in my garden, but the ‘True Yellow’ just caught my eye at the store.
Your foliage looks very healthy Susie, I think Christina is right, although you do have Lychnis in the background of your 2nd photo and it looks as though its coming up in-between the Stachys too. I have both at home and the leaves are very similar. Amaranto is new to me both look lovely though and I really like the leaf colour of Josephs coat. A bit of time travel now and again sounds quite exciting!
Hi Julie. Good eyes spotting the Lychnis. I was in a hurry this morning and swapped out some pictures without paying attention. It will be fun to see how the new plants do this summer. I hadn’t grow those before either.
Lovely new foliage plants Susie and your furry, silvery plant looks very strokeable. I have to agree with Christina that it looks just like Stachys Byzantina ‘ Silver Carpet’. Does it flower?
You are right to agree with Christina. I mixed up the plants but have corrected the text and labels now. There is a bit of Lychnis coronaria in the photo and lots overall in that border. Thanks so much for keeping me straight. Don’t know for sure if it is ‘Silver Carpet’–it was another pass-along. Yes, it does flower (and spread).
Love the Baptisia buds! I have the straight B. australis, but it is just starting to wake up. Great picture of the Perovskia foliage.
Thanks Jason. I have several Baptisias but they really don’t perform well. I suspect the voles are damaging them but could also be overcrowding in one instance, and in another instance I’m blaming deer. I saw a hedge of them used in Williamsburg a few years ago and thought it was so lovely.
I love all of the silvery foliage and the new arctosis will work very well with those very, tactile clumps! With the Josephs coat – I always thought of it as an annual in climates with frost – if it shows signs of running, one thing I do is bury that cheap plastic flexible garden edging around it, which will stop any wayward attempts for years (as well as being invisible)
Thanks for the tips Matt. I thought I was buying annuals so maybe it’s ok to use them as ground covers for the summer.
It’s very nice when you get plants from friends and neighbours. A friend made me note that passalongs are always reliably and vigorous plants (that’s why people divide the clumps and make more plants to give away). Looking forward to seeing that chrysanthemum in bloom!
So true, the passalongs are the reliable ones. I’ve admired that chrysanthemum for many years. It always looks so healthy and blooms a long time. Hope it will like my garden too.
It is so interesting to compare your garden with mine… my Stachys doesn’t look nearly as pretty as yours, being on very dry ground, and my Baptisia is almost as far as yours, but my Perovskia won’t show any growth at all for a while yet! I love the foliage of the new Amaranto, and the red Alternanthera too.
That is curious Cathy how the timing varies among those plants. Fun to compare notes.
I love all your silver plants and wish I could grow them on our heavy soil. Stachys manages to grow here, but looks a bit sorry for itself when we have all our rain! Love your new purchases, what beautiful coloured leaves they have.
We’ve had so much rain lately Pauline I’m surprised my Stachys isn’t faltering. I know that pity me look they can project!
New plants are always exciting but a gift from a neighbor – now that will have good memories. 🙂
You’re right Judy. Passalongs are a nice way to keep those relationships.
I miss Southern States. They had great plants and great pots…in our time there.
Southern States has even expanded their pots section–very tempting.
Love all the greys. I added Powis Castle last year and was worried it didn’t make it through the winter, but just this week saw a few buds. I hope it ends up as nice as your clump!
A shame your Powis Castle didn’t make it through winter. Its foliage is always nice early on but as summer heat builds up it it loses part of its charm.
Lovely textures and colors of foliage Susie…I especially love the new purchases.
Lovely close ups of the lamb’s ear and baptisia! You got a nice division of ‘Sheffield Pink’. I have a gardening friend who has that mum and it’s a beauty.
I’m excited about that mum. It’s a passalong so I hope that’s what it turns out to be.