Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
ginny_mclean_petite_garden

Blue and /or silver plants

Ideas are brewing again. Any ideas for blue and/or silver or grey/white luminous plants? Can be annual or perennial. Also trees and smaller shrubs.

Comments (24)

  • nutsaboutflowers
    12 years ago

    I'm quite enjoying my Blue Fox Willow.

    It's that silvery/greenish/greyish color. It also looks nice when the breeze moves it.

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Telepathy here! I was just looking at a Blue Fox Willow on the other page and was about to check it out! Thanks for the heads up. I just might have to find me one! Also found Blue Spruce Sedum and Baby Blue Eyes Blue Spruce tree. Other than the usual Dusty Millar, hostas, lambs ear and wormwood, I am finding lots of blue and silver plants. :) Liking this idea more and more!

  • marricgardens
    12 years ago

    I like the Hakura Nishiki Willow. I know its not the colors you wanted but its nice, unless the voles get it! Mine is growing back nicely. Some annuals are artemesia Silver Mound, Dusty Miller and then the notorious perennial artemesia and Lambs Ears. Good luck. Marg

  • marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
    12 years ago

    I have a lychnis with silvery foliage. It's very pretty and though it's short-lived, it reseeds all over the place... (i have that kind of luck with plants! LOL). I could send seeds.

  • shazam_z3
    12 years ago

    Lots of prostrate and upright junipers are bluish.

    Bog rosemary is quite nice too.

  • northspruce
    12 years ago

    Sea holly. Found out this year it's really seedy though, it'll definitely be deadheaded from now on.

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Marg ~ I have An HN Willow that I really like but not the right color like you sadi. I also have artimesia Silver Mound and Lambs ear and I start dusty miller every year. I just found artimesia Silver Brocade.

    Shazam ~ I like Grey Gleam, Moonglow and Withita Blue juniper. And am looking for a silver leaf willow like wolf willow. Or just at least somewhere I can get one.

    Marcia ~ I have a hot pink lychnis but would like one that flowers white such as Alba for this project.

    Northspruce ! I have often thought of attempting Sea Holly. Thanks for reminding me. You have had luck with it in your zone?

    Lots of great ideas! Really getting into this in my mind anyway! Lol.

  • nutsaboutflowers
    12 years ago

    Just a bit more on the Blue Fox Willow. The pictures on the web don't do it justice if you ask me. I'm not sure if it's the color you're looking for but....

    If you get the opportunity, see one in person before you decide. Mine is in full wind, sun/part shade, facing West. It went through the last storm that brought down trees in the area, without a mark on it. It was blowing around like crazy. I bought it last year and I may buy another one.

  • marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
    12 years ago

    The lychnis i have is hot pink. If you find a white one with silvery foliage, i'm in! :)

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I am totally a fan of willows and dogwoods. Tough little shrubs and so colorful. It is definately the color I am looking for. Also looking for a silver birch, if in fact one actually exists.....:)

  • Pudge 2b
    12 years ago

    Also Globe Thistle (Echinops ritro). The variety I have has silvery undersides to the leaves - very striking at this time of year.

    I just tore out a section of Veronica incana (Speedwell). It's a silver groundcover, almost evergreen (eversilver?) and sends up blue spikes in July. I still have a photo of it in photobucket

    Also, Blue Oat Grass (Helitotrichon sempervirens). I have a number of these and they have proven hardy for several years.

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Oh my Pudge! I like all of those! And I know just where to get some veronica. Blue oat grass would work too! Do you remember where you got the globe thistle? Thanks for the pics. They are awesome!

    Just in case you haven't heard yet, Master Johnny Cash, my wonderful little boy puppy, is going to live with Ann and Bob Granatier down at Trail's End Iris on Tuesday. He will have a big sis named Maggie, an old english sheepdog! I kinda hand picked that home! :)

  • northspruce
    12 years ago

    Sea Holly does great for me. It even liked being transplanted. I think it likes my sandy soil. I keep finding its unwelcome offspring everywhere... I could definitely send you some seeds if you want.

    I also thought of regular old Centaurea montana. It looks very vibrant blue when there's a big clump blooming. There's always a little too much for me though, I just finished ripping it all out to make room for my new gooseberry.

    Good luck to little Cash, what a cute boy. :0)

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I'm filing all these wonderful ideas in a special spot for this new garden. And to think this idea started with a sign on the back of a garage which led to a new name for a puppy and became a garden obsession! I love it!!

    They are really excited to pick Cash up from the airport but I'll admit it is going to be tough to put him on that plane. He will be loved!! :)

  • shazam_z3
    12 years ago

    honalee, I have a Polar Bear willow, which is quite silver. Seems to bone hardy as well.

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    As I said,I am a fan of willows and that is one I was looking at Shazam. I'll add it to my file.

  • Pudge 2b
    12 years ago

    I don't remember where I got the seed for that globe thistle, but if you like I can harvest some for you this year and send it your way.

    Good luck to l'il Johnny Cash!

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I'd love some seed! Let me know when you harvest. I am just having way to much fun living up to my namesake! So glad I'm not bored in my retirement!

  • marciaz3 Tropical 3 Northwestern Ontario
    12 years ago

    Maybe we should all change our last names to "Garden" or "Gardener"! LOL

  • north53 Z2b MB
    12 years ago

    Pudge, does your globe thistle self seed? Mine never has. It's odd the things that do or don't...
    That veronica looks lovely. I'm curious why you're ripping it out?
    Honalee, is this idea for shade or sun? If shade, there's some blue hosta that would work.
    Silver charm dogwood is supposed to stay small and is white and green. I only planted it last year, so time will tell how small it stays.

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Marie ~ It may be both sun and shade. I haven't totally decided yet.I have quite a few blue hostas already. Of course I'm sure I will add more. :) And I'll check out the silver charm dogwood. Thanks for the idea. :)

  • marricgardens
    12 years ago

    I forgot all about this plant when I posted earlier. Moonshine Yarrow. I have it and find that it isn't invasive like the white one. The foliage is a nice silvery grey and the flowers are moonshine (not what you drink) yellow.
    {{gwi:768206}}

  • Ginny McLean_Petite_Garden
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Wanting to stay with grey, silver, blue and white for this one but I sure like that bright yellow! TFS! I can hardly wait till my gardens have more umph to them like these beautifully seasoned ones do!!! The only thing that is seasoned in this yard is the dirt! But it's coming and I am adding more ideas all the time! Hope I live long enough to see them become reality!

  • Pudge 2b
    12 years ago

    I haven't noticed any reseeding on the globe thistle but I have cut a lot for dried flowers in the past.

    I took out the Veronica because I'm changing things up (again, lol) and going with a cleaner look in the front yard. That particular area is dry, rock hard, and always weedy so I'm going to plant some blue spreading juniper and put down a crushed rock mulch. I'll miss the colour but not the constant battle :)