Sacha wrote:

I'm trying to remember the name of that trailing grey leafed plant that's so
good for baskets etc. I put some into a cut out square on a raised and
paved terrace that also had an old Camellia in it. Within a year the
whatever-it-is had climbed UP to the very top of the Camellia but without
that rough trunk etc., it was as traily as a trailing thing! ;-)

I'm sure Sacha must mean Helichrysum petiolatum, which in milder
regions can be treated as a 'climber'. It needs support, but a few
wires strung against a fence or wall is enough. For some years I had
the yellow-leaved form ('Limelight') covering a couple of 6ft. fence
panels until I allowed a purple-red flowered passion flower to crowd it
out. It made a tremendous amount of growth each year and needed brutal
shearing every spring to keep it in check. It was a superb partner for
the rich purple flowers if Asarina (Maurandia) barclaiana that
clambered through it. If I had the space, I would plant that pairing
again.

Another climbing 'grey' related to the Helichrysum and wonderful for
running up behind wires or a fence in a mild sunny spot is Senecio
leucostachys. It can behave as a herbaceous perennial in areas not
cold enough to kill it outright, but too chilly for the stems to
remain. In favoured spots it will run up 8 feet or so, producing a
spending backcloth of very elegant, pinnate (divided), 6" long leaves
that are intensely silver. Magnificent when coupled with anything
vividly coloured and extremely tasteful Jekyllesque-fashion if grown
with pale blues or pinks. I suspect, or rather am sure it would be
perfect if Fuchsia 'Lady B' was grown through it.