Grow Your Own Magazine

I found an old packet of these in a charity shop and wondered what people thought of them?
Do they flower alot? How are they at attracting wildlife?

Thank you,

Hi Simon.

They don't produce very spectular flowers they are grown more for their leaves which are grey and hairy. Good ground cover and will cover quite a large area quite quickly. Perennial and tough as old boots they can be split up to give more plants. Don't know about attracting other wildlife but Bees love them. Very good as well for dry areas.

Best of luck

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Gardening requires a lot of water - most of it in the form of perspiration. Lou Erickson, critic and poet

I've had them in the garden - (I always knew them as Lambs' Lugs - I like a bit of alliteration!). They have a small pink, insignificant flower but do attract the bees. I like the silver foliage and the texture of the hairy leaf. Very nice contrast plant.

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

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I like them in a perennial bed as an interesting contrast (with their silvery grey foligage) to other shrubs and flowering plants. I've never tried growing from seeds though as they're very easy to pull from plants (that you can get for free) and replant in your garden. As it's grey foliage, often garden books recommend placing them around plants with cooler shades of flowers (purple, pink, mauve, blue etc), not that I always think to bother .

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Food for Free

I tell what, you won't be able to walk past them without feeling the leaves

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

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Hello Simon, I would say if you have more space than you know what to do with then plant them as a form of cheap ground cover. But if every plant has to earn it's space then this one has nothing to recommed it.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

Thank you all for your help. I think they may not fit my garden, which is aimed at bees and flowers. But it beats having just lawn, so I'll plant a few.