If you have a large collection of variegated plants or if the variegation within your collection is prominent from a distance, the best advice I could give is to spread them out within your landscape. To me, variegated plants should be pleasant surprises that you happen upon as you walk through a garden. And they can look especially nice when mixed with plants of different textures and heights. It's about letting the eye wander up and down and being startled and delighted by unexpected combinations. Maureen

I love variegated plants too, and yes, they can be garish. I tend to use variegates in color themed beds, using them as color echoes. For instance, I have the white variegated hydrangea, Mariesii, dotted through my white border. It is positively lovely. In the same bed, I use a white variegated grass. Since the grass is small and fine it's not too much even when it's near the hydrangeas. (There's lots of green foliage between them from front to back.)

Hostas, of course, have so many gorgeous variegations that it's very easy to get too many in a hurry. I try to surround very bold variegates with solid leaved hostas that carry the same colors as the variegate. I put larger, solid masses of foliage in between the areas where variegates are featured, preferably with blooms that echo the colors of the variegate. As I have gained confidence in using them, I have gotten to where I plan a garden starting with a large variegated plant and then choose the others in it to go with. In a large bed, I may repeat the same plant, or use other smaller plants with contrasting forms or textures that are also variegations of the same colors throughout the bed. It makes a great effect.