Leaves with white edges, centers or patterns are often a freak of nature, the result of mistakes in life processes or diseases.These factors prevent the green color (chlorophyll) from appearing over the entire leaf surface. In the wild, a motley plant disappears as quickly as it appeared.
It happens differently when a gardener interested in strange creations notices her.Skillfully cultivating, reproducing and selecting the next generations of the plant, can lead to the creation of a new variety with permanent changes in appearance. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but it seems that since white gardens became fashionable, more and more green-and-white trees, shrubs, perennials, grasses and herbs are on the market.
The arrangement effects achieved by growing variegated plants, long used by English gardeners, have been more visible for some time. More and more often, semi-shaded places in the garden are brightened by the motley leaves of the funkia, brunnery, sedge and climbing euonymus.
The appearance of the front garden becomes richer and more varied thanks to such plant gems as the 'Monet' bush or the 'Argentea Marginata' holly.Black elderberry or dogwood with motley leaves beautifully beautifies a natural hedge and adds charm to a mixed bed.
In addition to the 3 meter high white dogwood variety 'Elegantissima' (photo on next page), horticulture offers a very similarly colored new American variety 'Ivory Halo'. This dogwood is especially recommended for small gardens because it is shorter, grows slowly and has a more compact habit.On the lawn, the green and white pagoda dogwood Cornus controversa 'Variegata' looks very impressive, with side shoots growing horizontally and also arranged in levels.
The visual effects can be increased by combining plants with bright decorative leaves with varieties with red leaves, flowers or bark.On a sunny perennial bed, the pale iris 'Argentea Variegata' with striped white-green leaves contrasts beautifully with cranberry with dark red-brown leaves.In semi-shaded areas, the Greater Zygmata Astrantia major 'Sunningdale Variegated' with patterned creamy-green leaves creates a charming duet with a red blooming Astilbe tuft, e.g. the 'Fanal' variety.
For most plants with white-green leaves, the best position is bright, but not sunny in the midday hours. In such conditions, the white parts of the leaves are not subject to sunburn, but also they will not turn green, which is often the case in heavily shaded places.
