DOWNSIZING

Whether home is an apartment, retirement unit or town house, Heuchera ‘Cuties’ fit perfectly into a smaller garden.

Facing the reality of leaving a big garden for a tiny back yard can be a mixed blessing. On the one hand it’s a more manageable proposition. On the other, we simply cannot fit in as many ‘garden treasures’ as we’d like in our new downsized space. Every possible nook and surface must be considered a potential ‘place’ for planting. It’s a common dilemma; the avid gardener simply has to fit into a smaller footprint.

The good news is that plant breeders worldwide are responding to the needs of a smaller garden. Increasingly we are seeing new ‘dwarf’ forms of our most popular garden plants, perfect for growing in containers and tight garden spaces. This season we welcome the new Heuchera ‘Cuties’ series!

Heucheras have become the gold standard foliage perennials. They not only offer a vast choice of colours in their vibrant ever-present foliage, but they’re also drought tolerant, adapting to a wide range of garden conditions including dry shade. They simply look good all year round. Now, there is a new range of extra compact miniature Heucheras. The ‘Cutie’ series grows just 12-15cm tall. Ideally proportioned for miniature or rock gardens or mixed containers, they can even be grown as indoor plants, to be planted out in the garden later on.

Heuchera ‘Cuties’ have flowers too and will bloom prolifically over an extended period. Developed for their ability to quickly fill a pot, the plants grow strongly with multiple growing points (crowns). There are four attractive colours: Heuchera ‘Blondie’ (caramel with creamy yellow flowers), ‘Coco’ (a black miniature of ‘Obsidian’),

‘Sugar Berry’ (mauve berry tones with dark veins and light pink flowers) and ‘Sweet Tart’ (lime green with pink flowers in profusion). For more information visit www.livingfashion.co.nz

FAIRY FEVER

Fairy gardens are a rising trend worldwide. Kids and adults alike are creating these whimsical miniature garden scenes, using real plants. The most elaborate of them feature tiny ‘fairy-sized’ handmade garden furniture and paving - an entire landscape in a pot using the smallest plants available. A simple online search provides many inspiring examples for young and old to try.