I love the feathery foliage of yarrow and while it's an annual instead of a perennial, bronze fennel. Wooly thyme and lamb's ear softness.The tickling droopiness of sea oats. The velvet feel of rose petals.
I'm looking for more feathery foliage type plants if anyone has suggestions, the ones that invite you to touch them.

Dusty miller comes to mind. Tradescantia sillamontana might be hardy where you are, seems to be here.

If you have a shady area how about some ferns.

Astilbe, artemesia, fennel.

Kalanchoe tomentosa

@tarev I saw one of those at HD the other day, I was definitely enjoying the feel of it. One question though, will it survive outside or is it a houseplant?
Tiffany I had to look up the tradescantia, it's gorgeous! That's going on the list.
Bob I have a Japanese painted fern, but my shade is limited.
Pirl I have thought about astilbe especially the strassenfeder. The droopy blooms look like they are feathery.

Hi Kabby, it will survive indoors or outdoors. If you will have it indoors, just position it by your brightest/sunniest window. If outdoors, bright to sunny locations, can take the heat because of its fuzzy leaves. During winter, if it gets too cold in your area, bring it in.

Southernwood - not only is it nice and feathery looking, but you will then be rewarded with its lemony sweet fragrance when you do touch it.

Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum)

This one, maybe?



I'm admiring the velvety look of my newly emergent plant now. It's my first, so it still has my rapt attention. At this point, blooms would just be a happy bonus.

Tarev I'm out of my houseplant phase, and the Kalanchoe is only hardy to 9b. I sure do like it though. I might reconsider lol.
Chelle I actually have seeds for that but wasn't going to plant them this yr. Might have to make room too!
Deb I've have the Silver Mound artemesia and I love the feel of it but the middle flopped after a while and it didn't keep it's shape.

This one is a cacti called Rebutia muscula..but it has the softest spines ever! More furry feel than spiky ..and it blooms nicely too. You may have to put it indoors in winter. Loves the sun, and a bit more water when it gets very hot and dry. Blooms from late Spring to Summer.

Oh tarev you're talking to someone whom as a little girl got into a cactus plant. I would be the contestant on Fear Factor that passed out after touching it. It is pretty though!

I almost did not get this plant last year thinking those spikes were too much, but the vendor showed me how soft the spikes were by running the plant by her cheeks! it was indeed very soft! So it went home with me..SOLD!

Tarev with your zone 9b do have to bring your plants in during winter? Or do you normally like house plants? I dragged a plumeria up and down my stairs every fall and spring. Then I said the heck with that!

Partridge Feather (Tanacetum densum) would fit the bill. The flowers are a short distraction from it's foliar beauty.
Russian Sage (Perovskia 'Filigran') has a finely cut leaf among it's charms.

Most of my succulents can take our mild winter outdoors, just have to make sure media is well draining since we get our rain during winter time, sadly rain is not much these past few years. But I do have to bring indoors my Adenium, a noid Plumeria and most of my orchids, since these ones are really more temp sensitive once it hits 50F and below.

I also have house plants that just stay indoors year round like Phal orchids, Hoya shooting star, Dracaenas, ZZ plants, clivia and some carnivores.

Oh I almost forgot about, this is a crested one:
Echeveria 'Doris Taylor'



When I first got it in 2013, it looked like this:

Leslie thank you for your suggestions, I love the look of the Partridge Feather. I 'm getting some very good ideas here, thanks everyone.

My thoughts went straight to Astilbe, one of my newer favorites.

When I lived in Cambridge MA we called Tradescantia simply "nasty purple things." And I love purple, but these things ate other plants for dessert, it ate everything. When I later learned the name and saw them for SALE I was astonished. It must really love zone 5..

Lychnis coronaria, Rose Campion, is another velvety one with brilliant bloom.

Pussy Willow -