This durable hardy perennial has a quiet, luminous presence that deftly fills gaps between other more attention-seeking perennials. Anaphalis forms clumps of upright stems with linear grey-green leaves, each with a woolly, white underside that give it a delicate silvered appearance.

Throughout summer the stems are topped with loose clusters of small yellow flowers. Each bloom is encased within a deep collar of white papery bracts which entice pollinating insects to a feast of nectar. The flowers retain their colour when dried, making them excellent for everlasting flower arrangements or filling material for fresh cut bouquets. The blooms are particularly long-lived, giving rise to its common name of Pearly Everlasting.

Hailing from the stoney plains and dry meadows of North America, Anaphalis shows good resilience in poorer soils and exposed locations, becoming reliably drought tolerant with maturity. It makes a useful addition to gravel gardens, coastal plantings and prairie schemes, rubbing shoulders with ornamental grasses and late summer perennials. This tough and reliable plant flourishes in a sunny or lightly shaded spot on any moist and well-drained soil.

How to plant:

— Anaphalis are supplied as bare roots in spring for planting between February and May. They must be planted soon after delivery as they do not survive for long without light and moisture. If you can't plant on the day of delivery, remove the roots from the packaging and place in a bowl of water outdoors to soak, then plant within a week.

— Anaphalis are hardy to around -20C and don’t require any frost protection. It is not recommended to plant bare root Anaphalis directly into a border as they can struggle to settle into garden soil as dormant bare roots. Additionally, there are various other factors which can cause them to fail when planted directly into borders. They should be potted up and positioned outside to grow on through spring, then transplanted to borders later in the season when they are more established.

— If your Anaphalis is intended for a border, pot up into a 15-20cm diameter temporary pot using multipurpose compost. Ensure the full root system is submerged below the soil surface. The buds at the top of the root system should be level with the soil surface after planting. If supplied later in spring, they may have some shoots/leaves which should be left exposed above the soil surface. Water thoroughly after planting.

— Anaphalis can also grow well in patio containers. You can plant directly into a 25-30cm+ diameter patio container filled with good quality multipurpose compost as described above for potting up.

— If potting up, grow-on in a sheltered spot outdoors in their temporary pots during spring, this will give them an easy start and then they can be transferred into a border later in the season once the plant is more established with a stronger root system. The plant will be ready to transfer once roots begin to emerge from the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot and when the plant easily comes out of the pot with the soil held together by the roots.

— When your Anaphalis plants are ready to transfer into a border, choose an open, sunny or lightly shaded spot on moist but free draining soil. Avoid soils that sit particularly wet in winter. Allow the compost in the pot to dry out slightly before removing from the pot, this will help prevent the soil from falling from the roots during transfer. Space the plants 30cm apart if planting a group. Add multipurpose compost to each planting hole to help the new roots grow.

— Keep a close eye on your new Anaphalis for pest damage and keep space clear around the young plant, removing weeds and also excess growth from neighbouring plants to reduce competition. Ensure the soil remains slightly moist around new plants, particularly during the first growing season.

— This perennial is hardy and does not require winter protection in most areas. In very cold areas, it is recommended to apply mulch around young Anaphalis to help protect them from severe weather during their first winter.

— When supplied in late spring, your Anaphalis bare root is likely to have sprouted shoots or leaves already which may be pale in colour. Plant with the shoots/leaves exposed above the soil surface, they will soon green up and continue to grow.

Aftercare

— Deadhead the earliest Anaphalis blooms after flowering to encourage more to grow later in the season. In late summer, blooms can be left intact where they will provide an attractive display that lasts well into autumn.

— In autumn, Anaphalis will naturally die back, although some leaves may remain. Remove any last stems in autumn just above ground level, the plant will become dormant for winter. The following spring, new growth will start to emerge.

— Anaphalis will produce leaves in the first year and often a small display of flowers. If they do not produce flowers in the first year, providing they have grown healthy foliage they will start flowering well in the second year.

— Anaphalis is a clump-forming perennial which grows back larger and with more stems each year.

— You can divide established clumps between autumn and early spring when needed.

— Read further general instructions about planting bare-root perennials