My plant of the moment is Saxifraga Silver Velvet. It is just a haze of delightful sugary confection.
I have a growing interest in Saxifraga due to my burgeoning interest in alpines but I also like the larger japanese Saxifraga. This one was purchased in the summer from Cotswold Garden Flowers. I have hesitated to plant it out as it was an impulse buy; the velvety leaves coercing me to part with more money; and I haven’t decided where it should live.
I think this plant is aptly named as the leaves certainly look very velvety and quite exotic. The trouble is firstly I find dark-leaved perennials hard to place in the garden. The leaves are so close to the soil so can quite simply disappear from view. I think it will need something light and bright planted alongside as a contrast and to highlight it but I haven’t thought what. My second problem is that I’m not 100% convinced it is fully hardy. I lost a similar Saxifraga two years ago when we have very low temperature (-18C) for several weeks, although a larger and older plant was fine.
My research indicates it is a woodland plant. Which makes me think that maybe planting it under my Acer where the bright red leaves will fall around it might be good but the rest of the year….well I don’t know. It real bonus is that it flowers from now (September to November) and the flower are tiny dainty pink and white confections.
So while I ponder this further, like many a good gardener before me, I have planted it up in a pot and it is sitting on the Table of Delights where I can see it from the living room.
