This perennial is semi-evergreen so it can lose some of its leaves in winter. In colder regions or more exposed gardens, it may lose them all, but then fresh new growth appears again in spring.

• Position: full sun or partial shade
• Soil: fertile, moist or well-drained soil
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: June to August
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Forming a low, rounded dome of large, glossy foliage, which in summer is topped with open sprays of small white flowers, this showy perennial is really eye-catching in pots, windowboxes or borders. The leaves are a smokey blend of purple and blue, and they usually hold this colour well all through the season, which makes them ideal for adding a bold contrast - particularly when teamed with silvery shades.
  
  
• Garden care: Keep well watered and remove tatty foliage in autumn. Lift and divide clumps every couple of years in early autumn and replant with the crown just above the surface of the soil. Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted organic matter around the crown of the plant in spring.