Tolerant of drought and left alone by deer, it defines “low maintenance” in the shade garden.

Plant Patent Applied For. Thank goodness this name refers to the worth of this plant and not its price! A variegated cousin of the famous Brunnera ‘Jack Frost,’ ‘King’s Ransom’ is a glorious sight in spring, changing its hues a bit for summer and remaining attractive right up until frost. Such an easy plant for partial to full shade.

In spring, the new foliage emerges a muted green with a silver overlay that makes the intricate veining stand out brilliantly. Each rounded, heart-shaped leaf (up to 5 inches across) is brightly edged in yellow. This color softens to cream in the summer heat, but the variegation remains true, refusing to green out.

But the foliage is only part of the appeal. In early spring the plant is topped by sprays of bright blue blooms that may remind you of Forget-Me-Nots. These last for several weeks, welcoming the season of growth back into the shade garden.

‘King’s Ransom’ reaches only 15 to 18 inches high and 18 to 24 inches wide, but it makes a big impression even in a modest planting. It thrives in moist, enriched soil, but once established can tolerate drought. Deer find it unpalatable, so you can plant it in open settings, and its three seasons of changing color keep it lovely in any site. Zones 5-9.

Each silvery leaf is elaborately veined in bright green, like moss growing between stepping-stones.

Plant Patent #13,859.

One of the most exciting Brunneras to come along in years, ‘Jack Frost’ adds hard-to-find color and dramatic texture to the shade garden with bright silver leaves veined in deep green. These rounded leaves are perfectly formed, facing up and out for maximum show, and offer a brilliant backdrop to the small clusters of bright blue flowers that appear in earliest spring.

‘Jack Frost’ grows 12 to 15 inches tall (up to 18 inches when the slender bloomstalks sway above the foliage) and 18 inches wide in the partially shaded garden. It prefers acidic soil, but is generally not fussy about conditions, withstanding cold snaps admirably and tolerating soil of poor fertility. The clumps are very dense and plump in appearance, so if you are planting more than one together, space the plants 18 to 24 inches wide to give them space to show off their nicely rounded form.

Brunnera is a superb companion to mainstays of the shade garden such as Hostas, Ferns, Pulmonarias, and particularly Hellebores, which often bloom at the same time as ‘Jack Frost.’ Try a combination planting of ‘Jack Frost’ and the Royal Heritage Hellebores — the Brunnera’s silvery leaves will highlight the unusual colors of the Hellebore blooms, and the frosty foliage pairs nicely with the deep green, slightly toothed leaves of the Hellebores. Or, for an entirely different look in the shade garden, consider a planting of ‘Jack Frost’ and the silver-frond fern Athyrium ‘Silver Falls’. The silvery-white foliage will lighten the shade and offer superb contrast to the surrounding greens.

Difficult to locate, ‘Jack Frost’ is easy to grow and a truly distinctive plant you will enjoy in a variety of settings. It asks only moist, well-drained soil. Zones 3-7.