Lambs Ears

Lambs ears are such a lovely, old fashioned plant which have wonderful soft fuzzy leaves that resemble lambs ears, hence the name.

They also have gorgeous spikes of purple flowers in spring, which the bees absolutely adore! They are incredibly easy to grow and suit our climate perfectly.  If you ever see them in a friends garden, just pinch a leaf or two, or even better, a clump of them, pop them in the ground and they should start spreading quickly!  The bees love their delicate spikes of purple flowers that when finished we like to pick and shake, like a little rattle, with the sound of the seeds trapped inside.  

Their furry leaves are grey and create a wonderful spread of silver in the garden. They make a wonderful contrast, to any green shrub or plant, and are a fabulous companion to flowers. The plant is adaptable and can grow in full sun or partial shade. They can tend to spread, so sometimes you will need to cull them.  A great opportunity to share them around with others!

One thing they do not like is constant damp soil.  The ones I have planted in my own garden are located in a sunny spot and only get watered occasionally by nature.  I tried them once in a damp shady spot and after a few years they slowly withered and died.  So the hotter, sunnier and drier the position, the better.

I also just love their soft feathery leaves!  It really is very hard to walk past them and not pick one of them to rub on my cheek.  They have a sweet, slight fragrance and it always makes me feel calm and still when I have them close by.

They are dense and wonderful against a wall, in a rockery or on mass as a low growing ground cover. Get out and plant some in your garden today.  They really are the most fabulous little plant to grow!

I found this great article all about them, which helped in my understanding of the plant and thought you might like to pop over and read it too.  Here.