Heucheras have been one of the boom plants in demand over the recent lockdown with record demand with online sales. New Forest nursery and specialists Heucheraholics share their expertise on this easy to grow plant.
Twenty years ago heucheras (also known as Coral Bells) were grown for their wispy flowers which grow on long stalks held high above their foliage. Now, however, the emphasis is on the wonderful and multi coloured foliage.
As summer days start to shorten and the nights are cooler and light levels drop off heucheras seem to come into their own once again.
Heucheras remain as popular as ever as they really are the most versatile and amazing plants and one of the easiest groups of plants to grow.
There’s a place in every garden for heucheras. They add colour and interest all year with their incredible foliage and some with amazing flowers.
There are heucheras for shade and for full sun and some that are happy in both.
There are heucheras with small leaves suited for window boxes , containers and rockeries -then there are the giants with huge dinner plate leaves that give structure in the border or large container.
The last few years have seen a revolution in the heuchera kingdom with more astonishing and magical colour changes than Joseph’s Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat!
The foliage keeps on stunning growers with shades of hot orange, squashed raspberries, shimmering silvers, marbled and frosted, moody purples, black in matt or gloss finish and acidic vibrant lime greens and a fantastic range of variegation in between.
Recent development has seen massive improvement in flowering with strong colours and some claiming almost perpetual flowering all season.
Hampshire based heuchera specialists Heucheraholics have bred varieties with gorgeous flowers such as’ Megan’ with huge pink flowers,’Isla’ with beautiful pearly flowers and ‘Terraccotta Warrior’ ‘with strong stems of rich deep brick orange flowers.
Other super flowering varieties are’ Paris’ with vibrant pink flowers, ’Dewdrops’ with variegated foliage and strong pink flowers and ‘Ginger Ale ‘with large gingery flowers.
Heucheras are happy in most soils – provided that they have good drainage ,heavy wet soils bring significant problems death so growers need to give plants a good mulch to keep the soil structure open . They are lime tolerant.
Heucheras are hardy – but they enjoy lots of air around them – when planting avoid plants hanging right over them – give the foliage some room to breathe.
Once established heucheras are drought tolerant – so will withstand periods of dry very well.
- Heucheras are ideal for hanging baskets with some of the fabulous trailing xHeucherellas for great all winter colour. These will look great tumbling down from baskets and containers and look gorgeous all winter.
Ones to try are ‘Copper Cascade’, ‘Redstone Falls’ and ‘Yellowstone Falls’. - Add some heucheras too for a winter basket that has winter colour and requires no maintenance until spring.
- Autumn is a great time to plant tiarellas – commonly known as foam flowers . These are a relative of the heuchera and love a shady spot in the garden – planted now you will be rewarded with masses of foamy white flowers in spring.
Autumn open days at Heucheraholics nursery
Heucheraholics are holding two Autumn Open Day weekends at their New Forest Nursery over the next two months.
The dates are:
Saturday, 5th and Sunday, 6th September; Saturday, 3rd and Sunday, 4th October. Opening 9am to 5pm.
The nursery has put in place measures for social distancing including a new big shade area and plenty of room in the glasshouse. There will be no refreshments and no toilet facilities available. Check dates nearer the time.
Heucheraholics, Boldre Nurseries, Southampton Road, Lymington, Hants S041 8ND Tel: 01590 670581 www.heucheraholics.co.uk
