Alchemilla 'Auslesse'

Lady's mantle blooms from late spring to late summer in massive billowy clouds of tiny lime-green flowers above a clumping mound of attractive round and scalloped gray-green leaves. The velvety leaves hold water and glisten in the sun when covered with morning dew or rain droplets. The flowers attract butterflies but produce viable seeds without pollination, allowing the plant to spread extensively. If reseeding is undesirable, deadhead before seeds ripen.

Fairly uniform in size and habit, this perennial is quite versatile. It reaches 12 inches high and 18 inches wide and can be used as a groundcover. It works well as a bedding plant and is especially nice as edging for mixed borders or a foreground for perennial borders, but it is also right at home in a canopied woodland garden. It can be grown in full sun or partial shade but prefers cool, moist soil and needs to be watered regularly until it has a chance to fully develop its root system.