Gardens

Hooked on Heuchera

This long-time garden workhorse (traditionally recommended for those difficult dry shade spots) has had a makeover in recent years, with many new varieties creating a range of exciting foliage border plants. It’s grown not just for its graceful sprays of small flowers in early summer, in pastel shades from white through yellow to pale pink, as well as some pretty vibrant reds, but also for the outstanding range of colourful marbled and veined foliage in shades from palest green and white, through yellow, pink and fiery red. In winter, the foliage becomes even more brightly coloured, making Heuchera a valuable plant in the garden. I have been increasing the number of Heuchera in my garden with plug plants, which are great value.

Heuchera develops into semi- evergreen or evergreen clumps and make great container plants. You can also plant them at the edge of a border where they create colour and shape contrasts with other foliage plants.

Heuchera is easy to grow and can be planted now for a winter and spring display. They are happy in sun or shade in any well drained, fertile soil. Heuchera is long lived and is easily propagated by division in spring.

There are hundreds of named varieties, but among my favourites are ‘Lime Marmalade’, with limegreen foliage and white flowers (40cm); ‘Palace Purple’, with heart-shaped leaves – the surface is dark reddish-purple on the surface and lighter undersides with pale pink flowers (50cm); and ‘Forever Purple’, with ruffled leaves in shades of plum-purple that glows in low winter sunlight (30cm).