This perennial dies back to below ground level each year in autumn, then fresh new growth appears again in spring.

• Position: full sun
• Soil: gritty, humus-rich, sharply-drained, neutral to alkaline soil
• Rate of growth: fast
• Flowering period: May to July
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Thriving in those hot, sun-baked spots where little else will grow, this creeping groundcover will soon form a dense mat of silver foliage, which from late spring to midsummer will be studded with a profusion of white flowers. Cerastium tomentosum is a wonderful addition to alpine beds, dry slopes or gravel gardens, but it is also useful for filling gaps at the front of sun-drenched borders.
  
  
• Garden care: Cut back or divide overly large clumps in spring and avoid excessive moisture - particularly during the winter months.