(Joystick White Sea Thrift, Sea Pink, Sea Thrift)

This long-blooming perennial, ‘Joystick White’ is a white-flowered selection of a small woody or semi-woody sea thrift native to the coast of Portugal. The plant is a much-branched low clump with lance-shaped green leaves. It blooms in summer with large, round clusters of small flowers atop a forest of leafless upright stems. It is a charming, extravagant show for a small plant and can be prolonged into autumn by deadheading.

In its native region, sea thrift is often found in full sun on very...

(Ballerina Sea Thrift, Sea Pink, Sea Thrift)

Flowering within 110 days of sowing, plants in the Ballerina Series are early-blooming selections of Armeria pseudarmeria, a low clump-forming perennial from west-central Portugal. They are available as plants or seed.

Dense rosettes of lance-shaped evergreen leaves give rise in late spring to spherical heads of red, white, or lilac flowers on compact leafless stems. Deadheaded plants rebloom sporadically through summer.

Sea thrift prospers in full sun and well-drained soil, and...

(Ball Trift, Joystick Ball Thrift, Plantain Thrift, Sea Pink)

Joystick ball thrift is a compact, clump forming herbaceous perennial that originates from the coasts of Portugal. In early to mid summer, upright, leafless stems topped with large clusters of white, ruby-red, bright pink or lilac flowers spring up from dense clumps of medium green foliage. Spent blossoms should be removed to encourage more flowers. This sun-loving ornamental requires well drained average to poor soil. Ball thrift makes a fine addition to rock gardens, border edges, or trough and...

(Tall Oatgrass, Variegated Tall Oatgrass)

This variegated grass spreads quickly by small round corms. Its pretty blades are gray-green with white edges.

Bulbous oatgrass is a perennial grass that is native to Europe. It is considered an invasive weed in many parts of the western United States. It spreads and may escape beyond the confines of a garden, so manage it diligently if you plant it.

This prolific grass has green and white blades that are short, upright, linear and rough to the touch. The inconspicuous pale green flowers are...

(Curlicue Wormwood, Seafoam Wormwood)

This curious silvery-blue perennial, ‘Seafoam,’ is a curlicue sage, so named for the finely divided, plumey, curly leaves that crowd together in distinct bunches like froth on a wave. It is a variety of Artemisia versicolor a plant of unknown origin which is thought to be a dwarf because of its small leaves and density. Low-growing and spreading, ‘Seafoam’ will cascade off rock ledges and over pots and curbs.

Developed mainly for its soft texture and color, ‘Seafoam’ blooms irregularly...

(Schmidt's Wormwood, Silvermound, Wormwood)

Schmidt's wormwood, or silvermound, is an herbaceous perennial that originates from Japan. It forms a mounded carpet of very finely divided silver foliage, hence the common name silvermound. It has panicles of insignificant yellow flowers that appear in mid-summer. The cultivar 'Nana' is a nice selection with a more compact habit. One ornamental aggravation with this plant is its tendency to fall open in the middle and show its bare inner stems (not pretty). This is a very hardy perennial that is...

(Dwarf Silvermound, Schmidt's Wormwood, Silvermound, Wormwood)

Dwarf silvermound is a prized selection of an herbaceous perennial native to Japan. It forms a mounding, fine-textured carpet of very finely divided, soft, silky, silver leaves, hence the common name. It blooms in loose clusters of small and insignificant yellow flowers in mid-summer. This dwarf selection, ‘Nana,’ is much shorter and more compact than the species.

This is a very hardy perennial that tolerates moderate drought and does best in full sun and well-drained soil. One ornamental failing...

(Silver Mound Wormwood, Wormwood)

Silver mound wormwood, is an herbaceous perennial that originates from Japan. It forms a low, mounded, clump of very finely divided silver foliage, hence the name silver mound, and has insignificant yellow flowers that appear in mid-summer. This cultivar is more compact than the straight species. One ornamental aggravation with it is its tendency to fall open in the middle and show its bare inner stems. This is a very hardy perennial that is moderately drought tolerant and does best in sites with...

(Star Wormwood)

Despite its close resemblance to the tender perennial Senecio cineraria (better known as dusty miller), this herbaceous perennial from the coasts of Northeast Asia is rock hardy. It is also highly adaptable, having naturalized in both Northern Europe and the Northeast United States. It creeps and sprawls to form carpets of lobed leaves that are densely covered with silver-white fuzz. The leaves are concentrated toward the tips of the stems. Clusters of dull yellow nondescript flowers appear...

(Seashore Wormwood, Silver Brocade Wormwood, Star Wormwood)

Low-down, almost prostrate in habit, this selection of the popular foliage annual, Dusty Miller, is prized for its beautiful silver mat of overlapping, small, lobed leaves. The parent species of ‘Silver Brocade’ is native to coastal areas of northern Asia and Japan, and has naturalized in both Europe and the United States. The parent and this selection have proven tolerant of salt air and salty sandy soils. All the same, you can count on ‘Silver Brocade’ to do far better in areas with ordinary drainage,...