Lamb's ear

Woolly hedgenettle has earned the folk names bunny or lamb's ears for its incredible softness. The 'Silver Carpet' cultivar lives up to its name, creating the densest silvery carpet you can imagine in a garden. Unlike the original botanical species, it hardly blooms at all, which is a great advantage in this case. The plant invests all its energy into forming dense, felted leaves that remain beautiful even in winter and form a compact ground-cover layer. It originally comes from the rocky and dry regions of Turkey and Iran, so it loves full sun and well-drained, sandy soil. In the garden, it perfectly serves as an unconventional and pleasant-to-touch border for flower beds or as a lawn replacement in dry areas where you don't want to worry about watering. Furthermore, its silvery color beautifully calms and unifies colorful plantings of perennials.

Lamb's ear has earned its common name for its irresistibly soft, silvery felted leaves. The original species comes from the stony and sunny slopes of Turkey and Iran, making it an ideal candidate for drought-tolerant and gravel beds. The plant spreads willingly, creating dense, continuous carpets that act as groundcover in the garden and effectively suppress weeds. The Cottons Boll cultivar is a true unique among lamb's ears. Firm, upright stems emerge from the basal rosette of leaves, carrying striking spherical flower clusters that resemble open cotton bolls in shape. The tiny purple-pink flowers are hidden in felt-like bracts and attract large numbers of bees and bumblebees. This perennial is also highly valued in floristry. Fresh stems add interesting structure and a silvery accent to bouquets; furthermore, they are excellent for drying, as they reliably hold their shape. Even in the winter months, the foliage remains decorative and brings an interesting visual element to the garden.

You will instantly fall in love with Lamb's ear 'Silky Fleece' for its incredibly soft leaves, which tempt you to stroke them and resemble animal ears. This perennial, native to the rocky and dry hillsides of the Caucasus and Iran, is a master of survival in full sun and well-drained, sandy soil. Thanks to its silvery-grey, felt-like leaves, it creates a wonderful contrast to green plants in the garden and works as a perfect groundcover carpet that does not lose its beauty in winter. It is an ideal choice for novice gardeners, as it requires almost no care, does not suffer from diseases or pests, and perfectly handles even freezing days. The 'Silky Fleece' cultivar is specific for its low and compact growth, reaching a height of only about 15 centimeters. In the summer months, from June to August, tiny lilac flowers appear above the silver cushion; although they are not suitable for cutting into a vase, they reliably attract bees and other pollinators. The plant is best suited for the edges of flower beds, rockeries, or as a filler for empty spaces, where it forms a dense, weed-suppressing cover. Although it is not suitable for drying or bouquets, its value lies in the year-round structure and tactile experience it brings to every garden.