(Colchester White Centaurea, Dusty Miller, Silver Centaurea)

Few silver-leaved ornamentals offer the cool, crisp color of ‘Colchester White.’ This favorite foliage plant produces tall mounds of frosty, ferny leaves that look cool in the daylight and glow eerily in the evening. Centaurea cineraria is native to southern Europe where it is adapted to heat and moderate drought. It is a short-lived, shrubby perennial that’s often grown as an annual.

Botanically known as a subshrub, dusty miller develops a woody base with age. ‘Colchester White’ is...

(Persian Cornflower, Whitewash Cornflower)

Summertime finds the Persian cornflower showing off its rosy-pink flowers with white centers above its light, gray-green foliage. This undemanding, clump-forming perennial is native to the Caucusus - the highlands between the Caspian and Black Sea and nearby eastern Turkey.

Each leaf is oblong and narrow with two deep lobes on the sides, light green above and grayish green beneath. In midsummer, the rosy-pink flowers appear on stem tips. The central, flat disk of the blossom is pink and white,...

(Mountain Bluet, Perennial Cornflower)

Native to the mountainous regions of Central Europe, mountain bluet is a perennial that thrives in temperate climates with drier soils. Plants form low mounds of gray-green, lance-shaped leaves from which arise stems of single blue feathery flowers in late spring to summer. This montane plant is great for rock or alpine gardens as well as perennial borders. Plants tend to self-seed, so spent flowers should be removed. Divide these perennials every two to three years for best growth.

(Mountain Bluet, White Mountain Bluet)

Native to the mountainous regions of Central Europe, white mountain bluet is a perennial that thrives in temperate climates with drier soils. Plants form low mounds of gray-green, lance-shaped leaves from which arise stems of delicate single white spidery flowers in late spring to summer. This montane plant is great for rock or alpine gardens as well as perennial borders. Plants tend to self-seed, so spent flowers should be removed. Divide these perennials every two to three years for best growth....

(Mountain Bluet)

A striking mountain bluet, Amethyst Dream’ originates from the mountainous areas of Central Europe. This mounding perennial is distinguished by its deep purple flowers, high vigor and overall good garden performance.

The foliage is silver-green, lance-shaped and forms a low mound. In late spring to early summer strong stems topped with spidery royal purple. The blooms are attractive to butterflies and set lots of seed once spent. In fact, mountain bluets are known to self-sow with efficiency,...

(Amethyst in Snow Cornflower, Mountain Bluet, Perennial Cornflower)

What a pretty mountain bluet. The patented ‘Amethyst in Snow’ originates from the mountainous areas of Central Europe. This mounding perennial is distinguished by its large feathery white and purple flowers, high vigor and overall good garden performance.

The foliage is gray-green, lance-shaped and forms a low mound. In late spring to early summer strong stems topped with spidery white flowers with purple centers appear. The blooms are attractive to butterflies and set lots of seed once spent....

(Gold Bullion Cornflower, Mountain Bluet, Perennial Cornflower)

A flowering perennial with glowing leaves, ‘Gold Bullion,’ is descended from Mountain Bluet, a native of the mountainous regions of Central Europe. It thrives in temperate climates and drier soils. The plant forms a low mound of lance-shaped, golden leaves above which rise stems of single blue flowers with red centers from late spring to summer.

Grow this montaine perennial in full sun and well-drained, even rocky, soil. Like other mountain bluets, it is a great plantt for rock or alpine gardens...

(Common Buttonbush)

The American native shrub, common buttonbush, develops striking pincushion-like flower balls of ivory in summer and early fall. These are followed by attractive fruits and russet red autumn leaves. This rounded, deciduous shrub is native to much of eastern North America as well as Cuba and regions in Mexico. Wild specimens can be found growing in moist or wet soils around lakes, ponds and streams.

Buttonbush has shiny, medium green leaves that are oval to almost lance-like in shape. The leaf...

(Harrington's Plum Yew, Spreading Plum Yew)

Harrington's plum yew is a needled evergreen shrub or small tree with an upright to arching and spreading habit. This native of Korea and Japan is yew-like in appearance and has glossy, flattened dark green needles with silvery bands on their undersides. It is technically coniferous, but much like true yews its round fruits have a fleshy, purple-red exterior. Fruits only exist on female plants and appear in late summer to fall.

Plum yew grows well in sandy, well drained soil. Where climates...

(Duke Gardens Harrington's Plum Yew, Harrington's Plum Yew)

Semi-formal in appearance without the need for pruning, the Harrington's plum yew selection 'Duke Gardens' grows as a wide oval mound with upward branch tips. It is yew-like (Taxus) in appearance and has glossy, flattened dark green needles with silvery bands on their undersides. Though technically coniferous, its round fruits have a fleshy, purple-red exterior, much like that of true yews. Fruits only exist on female plants and appear in late summer to fall. This cultivar originated as...