We pick up the story, Silver Foliage—A Perfect Foil for Purple, where I left it in June 2010. The silver-haired character of this story is Dusty Miller.
Dusty Miller cools off his hot orange and yellow companions. Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild gardens, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France. May 2008 |
An annual visitor to many regions of the world, Dusty puts down permanent roots to establish himself at his many homes in zones 8a-10b.
Dusty's short stature of 6-12 inches allows him to travel incognito among the throngs until the time he chooses to shine his bright, white spotlight behind a primary plant character.
Dusty Miller is incognito in a crowd. Luxembourg Gardens, Paris, France. May 2009 |
Look behind the most beautiful wallflower in the crowd to see Dusty Miller shining bright. Luxembourg Gardens, Paris, France. May 2009 |
Dusty Miller contrasts with Salvia greggii 'Ultraviolet'. My garden. June 2011 |
Dusty Miller doesn't clash with the ground huggers sedum and purple heart. My garden. June 2011 |
Dusty Miller dons his bright yellow blooms to attract pollinators. My garden. June 2011 |
But, don't be fooled by the handsome Dusty Miller. When he dons his bright yellow hat, his charisma escalates and he'll court every pollinator in town. Be careful how you touch him, hold him and coddle him. He's lethal. He's toxic. All parts are poisonous.
Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel. Deer and rabbit resistance varies based upon the animal population and availability of food. All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons. |
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