"Astrantias are classic cottage garden plants with heads of pincushion flowers carried over a long summer season. Their foliage is good, but the variegated form takes an attractive template and improves on it with crisp white edging. A similar broad edging can be seen on the heart shaped, dark green leaves of Brunnera macrophylla 'Hadspen Cream'. This flourishes in a shady site and has the added bonus of airy heads of tiny blue flowers in late spring. Grow these two instead of the original species and you won't be disappointed."

"Any shade planting benefits from white or yellow variegation in the foliage display. Even if all you have is dry shade there are variegated Vincas that will make an effective cover. The most brightly marked is the blue flowered Vinca major 'Elegantissima', but the varieties of Vinca minor make better garden guests, producing white or yellow variegated leaves with blue or white spring flowers. Alternatively you could try the gold edged form of the Caucasian comfrey, Symphytum caucasicum 'Goldsmith'. This is spreading into an attractive patch alongside some steps in my own garden. Small white flowers, tipped with red, are a minor spring bonus but the foliage is the essence of this tough plant. It brings the feel of sunlight into a shady spot."

"Shade might seem a natural home for variegation but sunny spots can also benefit. As unlikely a site as the herb garden is brightened by the golden variegation of the prettiest form of lemon balm. This is at its best in early summer, but can be refreshed with a good haircut later in the year. Golden marjoram has leaves almost entirely yellow. It's as good for cooking as the plainer green leafed type, more compact and comes true from seed. Alongside you could always grow a variegated form of thyme. 'Silver Posie' is the best, with bright white edging to the tiny leaves. It looks and smells delightful - both to humans and, apparently, to slugs. My plant was stripped overnight and never recovered."

"The true effect of variegated foliage comes with larger plants. Variegated shrubs and climbers add height and interest to both sunny and shady gardens. Variegated hollies come in a variety of white and yellow splashed combinations, are hardy, and remain evergreen in all but severely cold winters. Variegated forms of Cornus alba such as 'Sibirica Variegata' carry coloured winter stems and brightly variegated summer foliage. One of my own favourites is Wiegela florida 'Variegata'. In spring the leaves unfold white edged, deepening to yellow as the days lengthen. Tubular pink flowers add to the effect. This is for sunny spots on any normal soil. For shadier sites on acid soils there are few better plants than Pieris formosa 'Flaming Silver'. This is a variegated shrub that has everything the gardener could want. Heather like bells of white flowers are carried in early spring, opening as the vivid red young shoots emerge. These gradually fade through pink to cream and then to white edged green. I sometimes get a secondary show in later summer but I don't rely on this. The only disadvantage is a slow rate of growth. It will be a few years before I can use my plant as host for the vivid red flowered perennial nasturtium, Tropaeolum speciosum. I saw this combination in a far more mature garden and the effect was magical."

"Walls can be clothed
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