15 Plants With An Unusual Texture: We Create Flower Beds That Are Pleasant To The Touch

Have you ever thought about the fact that flower beds are interesting not only to the eye, but also to the touch? Plants that are pleasant to hold with the palm of your hand can be gathered together and planted in a sunny area with moist, but well-drained soils, or dilute existing plantings with them. The result — just do not tear off your hands! We present 15 plants with an unusual texture.

1. Eschscholzia californica ‘Ivory Castle’

Its satin cream-white flowers with a yellow center literally glow in the sun against the background of carved bluish-green foliage.

The plant is grown as an annual, sowing seeds in April for a permanent place. They do not need to be sprinkled with earth. Seedlings are thinned, leaving a distance of 10 cm. Blooms from June until frost and gives self-seeding. Height — 30 cm.

2. Hordeum jubatum

Fluffy silvery-pinkish ears of this decorative cereal shimmer in the sun and in flower beds can serve as a substitute for poorly wintering grasshoppers.

This juvenile is easily propagated by seeds, blooms in the year of sowing and gives self-seeding. Height — 50 cm.

3. Melica uniflora ‘Albida’

Over the waves of soft green foliage in late May and June, whitish splashes of tiny buds appear, like grains of rice.

This ornamental grass grows both in the sun and in partial shade. It is excellent as a groundcover plant, as it slowly spreads with rhizomes and gives self-seeding. It will become a spectacular background for a variety of brighter colors. Height — 30-40 cm.

4. Trollius ‘Alabaster’

The very light, creamy-white flowers of this Trollius will cool the flower garden on the hottest day.

In shape, they resemble ice cream balls, and the texture of the petals-it seems as if they are molded from light wax. Blooms in late May-June. Height — 50 cm. With other charming representatives of the genus

5. Astrantia ‘Ruby Star’

A classic participant of small-scale flower beds at any garden exhibitions. ‘Ruby Star’ thanks to the miniature wine-red “fluffy” inflorescences and almost black peduncles will play the role of a coloristic accent in the flower “placers”. And if you remove the fading stems, then the second wave of flowering will not take long to wait.

The height of this reliable and long-lasting perennial is 60 cm.

6. Iris ‘Kent Pride’

Bearded irises are lovers of the sun, heat and good drainage, but how can you do without the velvety texture of their large flowers, so decorating the beginning of summer? Moreover, the color palette is very wide. This “velvet” looks especially advantageous in dark varieties. For example, the copper-brown ‘ Kent Pride’ (pictured above on the right). Height — 90 cm.

7. Helianthus salicifolius

The main advantage of this perennial giant is in its long and narrow, willow-like foliage, which is set in motion by the slightest breeze. Its tiers fall on top of each other like a water cascade.

Helianthus salicifolius winters well in cold climates, but does not always have time to bloom before frost. However, in comparison with the foliage, its flowers have no decorative value. Height-from 2.5 m.

8. Pimpinella major ‘Rosea’

This elegant perennial with carved foliage and openwork light pink inflorescences-umbrellas deserves wider fame. It blooms in June, and in July it sets the seeds. They are sown in the open ground for the winter. However, you can not sow it on purpose, but leave a successfully grown self-seeding. Height — 1-1.2 m.

9. Cirsium rivulare ‘Atropurpureum’

Thanks to the crimson-purple fluffy baskets on the narrow high peduncles, this noble “weed” will be noticeable in any flower garden from June to August. Removing faded baskets helps prolong flowering. No need to be afraid to plant it in the garden – unlike aggressively sown species plants, this cultivar is sterile and does not self-sow. Height — 1.2 m.

10. Allium cristophii

Giant inflorescences of this onion reach up to 20 cm in diameter, each “ball” carries up to 80 rather large (up to 1.8 cm) flowers-“stars”. They are blue-purple with a metallic sheen, attracting butterflies.

This onion blooms in late June – July, but the dried prickly fruit remains in shape and can adorn the flower garden until autumn. Gives self-seeding. Height – from 15 to 40 cm.

11. Foeniculum vulgare ‘Purpureum’

In the flower garden, this plant plays the role of a purple veil, a gentle haze, until mid-summer. And from July to early autumn, the dark bronze filamentous foliage is complemented by greenish-yellow umbels of inflorescences. Usually this perennial does not overwinter in the middle zone, but it blooms already in the year of sowing and gives abundant self-seeding. So it’s hard to lose it. Height – 1.5–1.8 m.

12. Deschampsia cespitosa

At the beginning of summer, an unremarkable hummock of narrow foliage is transformed: green spikelets are put forward, which quickly acquire a straw color. Deschampsia cespitosa begins to resemble a cloud that has descended on a flower garden. And despite the airiness, this cloud can withstand even the first snowfalls. This ornamental cereal gives self-seeding, but unnecessary seedlings are easy to remove. Height — 1 m.

13. Verbascum × hybridum ‘Firedance‘

Rusty-red matte, as if sprinkled with dust, the flowers of this new variety also seem velvety. They are collected in long narrow inflorescences-candles. The plant blooms in June – July, the removal of faded peduncles provokes repeated flowering. All hybrid Verbascum are short-lived perennials, and ‘Firedance’ is no exception. Therefore, one copy should be allowed annually on root cuttings to preserve the variety. Height — 45 cm.

14. Lysimachia atropurpurea

This inhabitant of Greece (pictured above on the right) is hardy in the middle zone. This is a juvenile, so for safety it is better to sow seeds every year – in late winter or early spring on seedlings, without sprinkling. In the first year there is a rosette of narrow corrugated silvery leaves, in the second in June-long purplish-purple spike-shaped inflorescences on branched stems. This verbena blooms until August. Height-45-60 cm.

15. Calamagrostis brachytricha

Soft lush pinkish panicles of this ornamental cereal bloom in late August — early September and quickly acquire a silvery hue.

The bush is usually sprawling, hemispherical in shape. It does not self-sow-the seeds in our cold climate simply do not have time to ripen. A pity! When the foliage in the flower garden withers, the bush stands out with a bright reddish shade of brown. Height – 1-1.2 m.