Brachyglottis 'Silver Waves' - Silver Daisy Bush
Overview
Brachyglottis 'Silver Waves' is an elegant semi-evergreen shrub that brings sophisticated texture and seasonal colour to British gardens. This compact variety, raised by renowned plantsman Graham Hutchins at County Park Nursery, features distinctive wavy-edged silver-grey foliage that creates a striking architectural presence. With wavy-edged, silver-grey/green summer leaves and pretty yellow, daisy-like flowers in early to mid summer, this plant offers both structural beauty and seasonal interest, making it perfect for contemporary garden design and challenging coastal conditions.
Key Features
Height & Spread: 0.8-1.2 metres tall and 1-1.5 metres wide when mature
Growth Rate: Moderate, reaching full size in 3-4 years
Flowering Period: Early to mid summer (June-July)
Foliage: Semi-evergreen, wavy-edged silver-grey/green leaves
Hardiness: Reasonably hardy but typically requires a warm sunny position
Appearance & Characteristics
Foliage
The most distinctive feature of 'Silver Waves' is its uniquely textured foliage. The wavy-edged, silver-grey/green summer leaves create an undulating surface that catches light beautifully throughout the day. The leaves have a subtle green undertone with silvery-grey colouring that provides year-round interest. Unlike many silver-leaved plants, the wavy margins add an extra dimension of texture that sets this variety apart from its relatives.
Flowers
Established plants have pretty yellow, daisy-like flowers in early to mid summer, creating a cheerful contrast against the silver foliage. The bright golden-yellow blooms are typical of the Brachyglottis genus, appearing in clusters that cover the plant during its peak flowering period. These flowers are excellent for attracting bees and butterflies to the garden.
Growth Habit
This striking and compact semi-evergreen shrub forms a naturally neat, mounded shape that requires minimal intervention to maintain its attractive form. The compact nature makes it suitable for smaller gardens while still providing significant visual impact.
Growing Conditions
Soil Requirements
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Drainage: Well drained soil is essential; avoid planting in wet or waterlogged soils
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pH: Tolerates a range of soil pH levels
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Fertility: Thrives in poor to moderately fertile soils
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Texture: Performs well in gravelly or sandy soils with good drainage
Light Requirements
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Full sun: Warm in full sun position required for best growth and flowering
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Shelter: Will need to be sheltered from wind in colder areas
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Coastal conditions: Does well in coastal areas
Climate Tolerance
Reasonably hardy but typically requires a warm sunny position. The plant benefits from:
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Protection from harsh winds in exposed locations
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Good drainage, especially during winter months
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Coastal tolerance with some wind protection
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Moderate frost tolerance when established
Planting & Care
When to Plant
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Best time: Pot grown Brachyglottis can be planted at any time of the year, providing the ground is not frozen or waterlogged and its not excessively windy.
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Container plants: Can be planted year-round with adequate protection in winter
Planting Instructions
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Choose a warm, sunny, well-drained location with wind protection
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Dig a hole twice the width of the root ball and the same depth
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Ensure excellent drainage by adding grit or sharp sand to heavy soils
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Position the plant at the same level it was growing in the container
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Backfill with native soil mixed with compost if desired
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Water thoroughly and apply light mulch, avoiding the stem area
Ongoing Care
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Watering: Regular watering during establishment; drought-tolerant once mature
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Feeding: Light annual spring feed with balanced fertiliser
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Winter protection: May benefit from fleece protection in harsh winters
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Mulching: Light organic mulch helps with establishment but avoid over-mulching
Pruning & Maintenance
When to Prune
Prune lightly after flowering in late summer to maintain shape and encourage fresh growth.
Pruning Techniques
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Light trimming: Remove spent flower heads and trim any wayward shoots
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Shape maintenance: Light pruning to maintain the natural compact form
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Dead material: Remove any frost-damaged or dead growth in spring
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Minimal intervention: Generally requires little pruning due to compact habit
Special Considerations
The semi-evergreen nature means some leaf drop is normal, particularly in harsh winters, but the plant will regenerate in spring.
Uses in the Garden
Specimen Planting
Perfect as a focal point where the distinctive wavy foliage can be appreciated at close quarters.
Container Growing
Excellent for containers, making it ideal for patios, terraces, and courtyard gardens where it can be moved for winter protection.
Coastal Gardens
Does well in coastal areas, tolerating salt spray and maritime conditions with appropriate wind shelter.
Rock Gardens
The compact size and drought tolerance make it suitable for larger rock gardens and gravel plantings.
Mixed Borders
Provides excellent textural contrast and year-round structure in mixed plantings.
Companion Plants
Silver Waves combines beautifully with:
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Mediterranean herbs: Lavender, rosemary, or sage for aromatic combinations
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Ornamental grasses: Festuca glauca, Stipa, or Pennisetum for textural contrast
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Purple foliage: Heuchera varieties or purple-leaved Berberis
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Hot colours: Orange marigolds, red salvias, or golden rudbeckia
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Structural plants: Yucca, phormium, or architectural grasses
Seasonal Interest
Spring
Fresh growth emerges, showing the distinctive wavy-edged foliage at its most pronounced.
Summer
Peak flowering period with bright yellow daisy flowers creating stunning contrast against silver foliage.
Autumn
Foliage maintains its silver-grey colour while some leaves may develop subtle bronze tints.
Winter
Semi-evergreen nature provides winter structure, though some leaf drop is normal in harsh conditions.
Wildlife Value
For Garden Wildlife
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Pollinators: Summer flowers attract bees and butterflies
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Birds: Seed heads provide food if left uncut
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Beneficial insects: Structure provides shelter for garden predators
Special Features
Unique Characteristics
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Wavy foliage: Distinctive wavy-edged leaves create unique texture
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Compact habit: Perfect size for smaller modern gardens
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Breeding heritage: Raised by respected plantsman Graham Hutchins
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Coastal tolerance: Excellent for seaside gardens with protection
Garden Design Value
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Creates exceptional textural interest in contemporary gardens
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Perfect for Mediterranean and coastal garden themes
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Perfect for rockeries or containers
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Excellent for adding architectural elements to plantings
Cultivation Tips
Getting the Best Results
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Warm sunny position in well drained soil is essential
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Provide wind shelter, especially in cold areas
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Ensure excellent drainage, particularly in winter
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Allow adequate space for the mature spread
Common Mistakes to Avoid
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Planting in wet or waterlogged soils
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Insufficient wind protection in exposed sites
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Overwatering, especially during winter months
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Planting in shade where foliage colour fades
Summary
Brachyglottis 'Silver Waves' is a sophisticated choice for gardeners seeking distinctive foliage texture combined with reliable summer flowering. Its unique wavy-edged leaves and compact habit make it particularly valuable for contemporary gardens, containers, and coastal locations. While requiring more shelter than some relatives, the exceptional ornamental value of this Graham Hutchins selection makes it worth the extra consideration. Perfect for rockeries or containers, this elegant shrub brings architectural interest and seasonal colour to gardens where its specific requirements can be met, rewarding attentive gardeners with years of distinctive beauty.
Buying Shrubs from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we sell a variety of shrubs both evergreen and deciduous with a variety of flowering times throughout the year. At certain times of the year our shrubs you buy from us may not look like the images shown on our website when deciduous leaves have fallen, the shrub has finished flowering or has been trimmed back.
Some leaves on evergreen shrubs can be damaged in winter by frost or harsh winds but in spring new leaves will readily replace those damaged. This is quite normal on many evergreen varieties and is preferable to plants grown with excessive protection that show cold shock once planted out and establish less satisfactory initially.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
* Please Note: Shrubs in 20 litre pots and above might require a pallet delivery starting at £79.99 per pallet. Depending on the exact pot size and height it may be possible to get approximately 5 plants per pallet at no extra cost. The maximum height we can dispatch on a pallet is 2.0m, this includes the height of the pallet and pot.
Shrubs are deciduous or evergreen woody plants, and often provide fragrant flowers, berries and foliage. They are good for structural framework, and they can provide a wonderful shelter and food source for wildlife.
Planting and Conditions
Container grown shrubs can be grown at any time of year. It is a little known fact that shrubs planted in the autumn and winter will be easier to look after than those planted in the spring and summer, because they will have time to establish and become hardy in the cooler months.
Plant the shrub at the same depth as it was in its original pot. Planting too deeply can result in root and stem rot.
One of the biggest causes of death in new shrubs is drought stress, so keep it well watered until it’s established.
Make sure you loosen the soil prior to planting. Most shrubs are tolerant of most soil types as long as it is fairly well draining.
Most shrubs will grow happily in containers, but they will be much more demanding on feeding and watering than shrubs in the ground would be. They will also need potting on every couple of years so that they don’t suffocate or become stunted in their pot.
Aftercare and Pruning
Once established, shrubs generally do not require much water. However, at first they need careful, frequent watering and should not be left to dry out.
Shrubs in the ground are generally not demanding and in most cases, annual feeding with general purpose fertilizer will suffice. Shrubs in containers may need more feeding; usually from early spring until late summer.
Shrubs also benefit from mulching in order to supress weeds, conserve moisture and provide vital nutrients. Mulch also greatly improves soil conditions. Shrubs can be mulched in late winter, after fertiliser has been applied, but it can be mulched through autumn to late spring as long as the ground is damp.
All shrubs benefit from dead-heading once spent flowers become apparent. Rhododendrons and Lilac especially benefit from the removal of dead flowers.
Some shrubs may show signs of reverted growth or ‘sporting’. This is where random shoots of different leaves associated with the plant’s parentage begin to appear. Most commonly this is where plants with variegated leaves sprout pure green growths instead of variegated ones.
To control reversion, remove reverted shoots promptly to discourage them. Reverted shoots are usually much more vigorous than the variegated ones, and thus should be completely pruned out and cut back into wood containing variegated foliage.
Potential Issues
Although shrubs are usually very robust garden plants, they can sometimes start to decline with no apparent or obvious reason.
This will start with browning leaves, which could indicate plant stress due to lack of water or waterlogging, an establishment failure or, in the worst case scenario, honey fungus. Another cause of leaf browning is a high salt content in the soil. This could be a natural occurrence, especially if you live near the ocean, or it could be from over fertilisation.
To remedy a high salt content, cut back on fertiliser and step up your watering regime for the next few weeks. If you live by the ocean, this will be harder to remedy—but stepping up your watering will help to wash some of the salt away all the same.