Silver plants seem so decadent to me, a long-time shade-garden dweller. Their fluffy or silky surfaces remind me of holidays in Greece; sage, sand and suncream. So it was lovely to indulge in the sunny holiday spirit and enjoy the profusion of silver-leaved plants sprawling all over Chelsea this year.

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The L’Occitane garden was almost lifted from the med – designed to echo the fields of the medicinal wonder-plant Helichrysum italicum basking in the Corsican sun.

And inspired by the famed Italian gardens of Villa Lante and Villa d’Este, Hoblyn also sourced no less than four types of Artemesia – abrotanum, absinthium, alba and schmidtiana ‘Nana’ – and four salvias – coccineus, argentea, lavandulifolia and sylvestris – straight from the med. He continues the fragrant theme with Lavandula denta var candicans and Thymus ‘Jekka’.

Ever popular at Chelsea for their vertical interest and willingness to flower on time, the foxglove was again all over the show gardens; this year in new silvery form. Digitalis ‘Silver Cub’ was a contender for plant of the week and would catch the eye in any dappled corner.

Another favourite of mine popped up in Hoblyn’s (aptly silver gilt?) garden; the Cynara cardunculus. It makes a grand architectural statement rising from sedums and stipa in my one sunny spot.

But you have to give silver a.. foil.. to avoid the visual flatness of ‘one note’ planting. While I like the near-purity of the silvers of the Rooftop Workplace of Tomorrow garden (featuring the lovely Helictotrichon, Stachys, Convolulus and Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’) it does show the downside to an all-silver and white scheme.

Hoblyn makes sure he employs a little dark burgundy foliage and punchy poppy red to add depth and surprise. A trick I’ll try to emulate in the roof garden I’m planning this summer: pass the suncream.