Re: Variegated foliage

I was just out today admiring my 'Jack Frost' and telling myself and
it that it sure was a stunner.  Much more effective and robust than
the B. mac. 'Hadspen Cream' for me.  'Langtrees' just faded away, so
I'm very grateful for 'Jack Frost'.  Try it with one of the assorted
Japanese Painted ferns on the market - they compliment each other
nicely.

Agree, Lamium would not be worth growing if it weren't variegated.

While I generally agree about setting off variegated plants with
non-variegated ones, combinations of them can be very effective IF
you are careful about leaf size and coloration.  

An entire garden of nothing but variegated plants would be like
pigging out on a 2 lb box of chocolate all in one sitting...too rich;
would cancel each other out, I should think, much as I love
variegated foliage.

Also agree that some plants variegation fights with their flowers. 
But, different strokes..somewhere, someone will adore what revolts
someone else.  The ones I have problems with are the ones that look
like they have a major virus of some kind instead of having a really
interesting leaf, which most do.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
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> From: Kitty Morrissy <kmrsy@comcast.net>
(snip)
> I thought the silver-white overlay on Brunnera mac 'Jack Frost' was

> overdone; I prefer a little less as in B.m.'Silver Wings'. But JF
is 
> beginning to grow on me.  At first I thought variegated Columbines 
> like 'Leprechaun's Gold' looked diseased, but I'm beginning to 
> appreciate them.  And then there's the Lamiums!  How boring if they

> were solid green.
> 
> I think you need to place these variegated plants in context.  As
Marge 
> mentioned, to brighten dark areas, so they should be surrounded by 
> unvariegated plants for best effect.  Put several different vgtd
plants 
> together and I think it would be too busy for my taste.  I also
seem to 
> lean more toward silver than gold, but I did just buy a Lemon Wave 
> hydrangea.
> 
> Kitty

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