Silver lining for a border - lamb's ears

Sunset, April, 1988

Silver lining for a border

The bright swath of silvery leaves pictured above is a classic use of lamb's ears (Stachys byzantina). The woolly leaves are at their best brightening a dark spot in a bed, marking the edge of a path, or setting off leaves or flowers of a contrasting shape or color. Good in full sun or light shade, lamb's ears requires good, loose, quick-draining soil and light, regular waterings (plants will be damaged if allowed to stay dry for too long).

Available in 4-inch pots and 1-gallon cans, this easy-to-find perennial can be popped into beds this month, and you'll have it as long as you garden. To keep foliage in peak performance, clip the purplish flower spikes as they open in June and July. Divide plants when they become crowded. Next March, pull away winter-battered leaves, leaving new foliage ready to fill out as weather warms.

Photo: Edging and brightening a perennial border, lamb's ears is grown more for its silvery leaves than its flowers