Marrubium Among the Rocks

Phillip Oliver

This blogger did a nice write up of marrubium -- silver edged horehoundand. The photo is from the site. 

I tried growing this ground cover several times and it didn't take, but that was poor siting I think. The several I planted out in the front triangle never grew and are mostly gone now.

But I think I might try again by planting a few tucked into and spilling over the stones of the moss rock border. What a nice silver blue that will add to the Coral Reef sedums there and Angelina sedums I plan to add.

The Turkish speedwell and creeping sedums I put there this summer are struggling, although one or two survive.

Silver edged horehound wants very dry, gravelly conditions more suited to rock gardens and is only 8 to 10 inches wide. I had it in irrigated garden sites and was trying to get a spreading patch going.

I thought it was a bigger plant because I had seen large sweeps of it, but individually, a single mound tucked into the rock border should stay small.

So next spring I might get some and try adding just a few individually among the rocks. 

I love the foliage.