![]() I find a seedling or two once in a while, but not nearly as often as I could wish. This lamium has stayed in distinct, non-running clumps for me. Its prime feature is the clusters of relatively large, rosy pink flowers, which appear through most of May here, but its dense, upright, 1-foot-tall clumps of neatly tiered green leaves also look good through the whole growing season. It grows fine for me in average, somewhat moist but well-drained soil, though it also seems to tolerate some dryness as well as occasional sogginess. I have very little shade here at Hayefield, but this gem gets my prime shady spot, with a few hours of morning sun and bright shade for the rest of the day. Compost-enriched soil that stays somewhat moist (but not soggy) seems to be ideal.Īnd one more plant that I think is neat, even though it’s not variegated (oh, if only it were…): Lamium orvala. Full sun with moist soil is fine, but afternoon shade would probably be an excellent idea in sites that dry out occasionally, because the leaves can be prone to scorching otherwise. ‘Axminster Gold’ reaches about 30 inches tall in bloom for me, and fills a spot about 30 inches across. In another week, I’ll cut the whole thing to the ground, then let it resprout for a good mound of fresh foliage that looks good through the summer. Mine’s been in bloom for about a week now. I truly wish it would spread a bit! The large grayish green leaves are broadly bordered with a nice lemony yellow that softens toward more of a butter yellow toward bloom time. Unlike other comfreys, this one stays where you put it. But if you enjoy variegated foliage, you’ll know it’s worth every bit of effort you spent finding it once you grow it for yourself. Now, it’s a bit unfair to show and tell you how wonderful ‘Axminster Gold’ Russian comfrey is, because it’s apparently very difficult to find. These two irises grow well for me in full sun to half-day sun (either morning or afternoon) in average, well-drained soil. I like this one too, but not as much as ‘Variegata’ the overall appearance of ‘Argentea Variegata’ just seems somewhat cold and stiff, while ‘Variegata’ is much more cheerful and lively. Instead of the creamy yellow, it has an icy white stripe on each leaf. This one tends to stay much shorter here: to about 1 foot in leaf and maybe 18 inches in bloom. pallida ‘Argentea Variegata’, shown above and at right. There’s also another form of variegated sweet iris: I. This one reaches about 16 inches tall in leaf and 24 to 30 inches tall in bloom. Its bold striping brings it perilously close to being gaudy, but somehow, it never seems to cross the line (or at least, it hasn’t yet for me). It’s very pretty in flower, but it’s even better as a foliage accent through the growing season, with a wide creamy yellow stripe on each grayish green leaf. Variegated sweet iris has been in full bloom for about a week now, with relatively ordinary blue-purple blooms that offer one special feature: a great grape-popsicle scent. (Yes, yes, I know the rules say that you shouldn’t plant variegated plants right next to each other, but I do think these two work.) I’ve been saving up a few of my current favorites to share with you, starting with the two above: variegated sweet iris ( Iris pallida ‘Variegata’ also sold as ‘Aureovariegata’) on the left and ‘Axminster Gold’ comfrey ( Symphytum x uplandicum) on the right. Protect it from slugs and snails, especially in early spring.Ah, so many neat plants, so little time. If you’re growing this perennial primarily for its foliage, you may prefer to trim off the flowering spikes. It can become difficult to remove once established, as any small piece of root left behind will spout a new plant. Comfrey thrives in fertile, moisture-retentive soil and will quickly grow by rhizomes. So far this perennial hasn’t appealed to any of them. Rabbits ate my golden Japanese forest grass ( Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’) down to the ground, deer decimated my coral bells, and snails turned my hostas to lace. I needed a strong splash of yellow for a shady spot in my garden. To thwart pesky wildlife: My resident deer and rabbits have no appreciation for artistic garden design. This brightly colored perennial would look perfectly at home in such an informal design. Woodland gardens: Allow it to naturalize in the dappled woodland shade, where it will add a bright note amid ferns, coral bells ( Heuchera) and bleeding heart ( Dicentra spectabilis).Ĭottage gardens: Traditional English cottage gardens include a seamless melding of ornamental flowers and edible herbs and vegetables. The bold leaves provide contrast with the delicate grasses, while the yellow variegation wakes up the otherwise muted tones. Mixed borders: The photograph here shows how beautifully Axminster Gold comfrey can be incorporated into a garden border.
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