Variegated liriope

* Common name: Variegated liriope

* Botanical name: Liriope muscari ‘Variegata’

* What it is: A perennial flower with foot-tall, grass-like bladed leaves that are green with white edging. Gets late-summer purple flower spikes. ‘Marc Anthony’ is an excellent new variety.

* Size: 15 inches tall (including the flowers). Space 24 to 30 inches apart.

* Where to use: Classic edging plant along partly shaded walkways and patios. Also nice massed as a grass-like groundcover under trees or tall shrubs or interplanted with shrubs in an eastern or northern foundation bed. Full shade or at least afternoon shade is best.

* Care: Leaves sometimes remain intact for much of winter. Cut all foliage back to a stub at end of winter or before new growth begins. A string trimmer is fine in massed settings. Scatter organic granular fertilizer such as Plant-tone or Flower-tone over the bed after cutback. Clumps can be dug and divided into fist-sized pieces to start new plantings in early spring.

* Great partner: Boxwoods, hollies and hydrangeas.