Gray Border Plants

Yarrow

• Several species of yarrow (Achillea spp.) have gray foliage. These evergreens have aromatic leaves and thrive in sunny, dry sites. Wooly yarrow (A. tomentosa) grows from 6 to 12 inches tall and spreads into a mat of hairy, fine foliage. This drought-tolerant plant blooms with clusters of bright-yellow summer blossoms. Serbian yarrow (A. serbica) grows from 4 to 8 inches tall. It blooms in spring with white flowers and has serrated gray leaves.

Sages

• Sage plants also have aromatic, gray foliage. They prefer full sun exposures and well-draining soil. As its name suggests, platinum sage (Salvia daghestanica) has silvery leaves. This slow-growing plant reaches heights from 8 to 10 inches and blooms with dark-blue flowers from spring through early summer. Silver sage (S. argentea) grows from 2 to 4 feet tall and has silvery-white leaves. This annual blooms in summer with light-yellow flowers. Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) grows to 4 feet tall and has silvery, fragrant foliage and stems. It blooms with showy blue-purple flowers in late summer.

Artemisias

• Some ornamentals in the Artemisia genus are grown for their silvery-gray foliage. These perennials grows best in full sun and well-draining soil. Louisiana artemisia or sagewort (A. ludoviciana) grows to 3 feet tall and has aromatic, wooly leaves. It spreads rapidly and blooms with small, yellow flowers from summer through fall. Fringed sage (A. frigida) grows from 6 to 15 inches tall and blooms in late summer with small, yellow flowers. It has woody stems and silvery, fringy foliage. Silver mound artemisia (A. schmidtiana) also grows to 15 inches tall, but forms clumping mounds of delicate, fine foliage. It flowers in late summer with yellow-white blooms.

Ornamental Grasses

• Several species of ornamental grass have gray foliage. These hardy, versatile species work well in border plantings and require little maintenance once established. Blue fescue grass (Festuca glauca) grows in 15-inch-tall clumps of gray-blue foliage. It produces tan inflorescences in summer and grows best in full sun and well-draining soils. Side oats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) grows from 12 to 30 inches tall in clumps of gray foliage. This native grass thrives in dry, sunny sites and sandy soil. Bluebird Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) has blue-gray foliage that grows up to 5 feet tall and turns yellow-orange in autumn. This native grass requires sunny exposures and prefers moist soil. Velvet grass (Holcus lanatus) grows 12 inches tall and has gray-green foliage. It grows best in partially shaded sites with moist, well-draining soil. Velvet grass blooms with white inflorescences in midsummer.