Perennial
Lady's mantle
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flowers | Flowers in June | Flowers in July | Flowers in August | |||||||||
| Plant | Plant in March | Plant in April | Plant in September | Plant in October | ||||||||
| Prune | Prune in July | |||||||||||
| Looks good | Looks good in May | Looks good in June | Looks good in July | Looks good in August |
Overview
Lady's mantle is loved for its rounded, softly hairy leaves, which hold raindrops like beads of mercury, and for its frothy sprays of tiny lime-green flowers in early summer. The colour works as a foil to almost anything: blue geraniums, purple alliums, pink roses. Flower arrangers use it as a filler. Smaller relatives such as A. erythropoda suit rock gardens and pots.
Where to grow lady's mantle
It thrives in sun or part shade and in most soils, from clay to chalk, as long as it is not bone dry in full sun. Use it along path edges, where it spills over and softens hard lines, between paving or as ground cover under roses and shrubs.
Planting
Plant in spring or autumn about 45–50 cm apart. Very little soil preparation is required. Water until established.
Care through the year
Spring
Remove old, browned leaves as fresh foliage unfurls.
Summer
Once the flowers turn from lime to brown, cut the whole plant back to the base. A new crop of fresh leaves follows within weeks.
Autumn
Lift and replant self-sown seedlings where you want them, or weed them out.
Winter
Plants die back; no protection needed.
Pruning
The post-flowering cut is the main job. Shear flowers and old leaves together down to a few centimetres. This keeps plants neat, prevents the floppy sprawl of late summer and stops prolific self-seeding.
Propagation
Self-sown seedlings are the easiest source of new plants. Clumps can also be divided in spring or autumn.
Common problems
Very few. Leaves can scorch or develop mildew in hot, dry conditions; cutting back and watering solves both. Self-seeding into gravel and paving cracks is the most common complaint.
Something else wrong? Diagnose it by symptom.
Month-by-month reminders
Jobs for this plant come round in March, April, July, September and October. Each month page lists everything else worth doing in the garden at the same time.
Related plants
Sources
Botanical names follow Kew's Plants of the World Online; growing attributes were checked against the references below. Text is our own. See our editorial policy.