This was a small planter, filled with seedlings of 'Silver Lace' Dusty Miller. I always liked the ferny foliage of this variety, more than any other.

That is a pretty one. I had gotten sick of dusty miller for awhile from its overuse but lately, I've been interested in it again. There are some nice forms, combine nice with other silver or glaucous plants and I like to try to overwinter them.
Take a look at this one from Kazimingi nursery. How many plants do you think this is? I've never seen dusty miller with such perfect form.
http://www.kazimingi.co.za/wp-...

I am not really certain. Possibly several or more, but it could be just one, that has been kept from flowering. Usually, the ordinary one's can make it through most winters here, eventually flowering & then that puts an end to it. It can be treated as annual, be biennial, or act a short lived perennial. I also like Salvia argentea, for the much larger fuzzy grey leaves, all except for the flowers! They have started to come out with some newer varieties of "Dusty Miller", with various leaf forms, fairly recently.

I like the silvery white leaves of Dusty Miller. However, I hardly ever see Dusty Miller used in gardens or containers. Has Dusty Miller gone out of style?

I see dusty miller planted as large patches or long rows with a row of Salvia splendens way too much. To me, it is one of those overused flat annuals like marigolds, red salvias and impatiens so it could bore me a lot. Plus silver with yellow and orange marigold or red salvias - that doesn't go well to my eye. Big thumbs down from me. It just makes me think 1970's. I know the 70's came back again but I'm still sick of it. I did kick it out of my garden for a while but I'm bringing it back in. Besides, I saw an American Lady laying eggs on my plant. (Unfortunately, I never saw anything hatch. Next time that happens, I will collect the eggs before something else does).
Last season I picked up a silver Centaurea similar to 'Silver Feather' but another variety. I thought it was another dusty miller. Probably everyone else did too because most of it didn't sell at the nursery so I am guessing they won't order it again. Had I known, I would have taken all the leftovers and at least brought some inside to overwinter. I left all of it outside so I'm not sure I'll see it again. I would love to see it bloom with the lilac flowers.

Maybe the Centaurea was cineraria, for its resemblance. I think there is one named Clochester, but I am not sure if it is sterile, or not.

Yes it was Centaurea cineraria 'Clochester White'. Thanks!

You're welcome. I saw it at one (of the few) locally owned garden centers still in business, near me...The Beach Hardware closed & can't even get cell packs of tomato, pepper or bedding flower plants, from there, anymore.. & they even used to have nice Gerbera Daisy there too...

They are all closing here too.