As I was perusing a perennials catalog recently I was astonished by the variety of Heuchera on offer. I remember meeting my first Heuchera in the garden of my husband’s Aunt Renate in South Hadley back in 1989. In her shady backyard was a winding band of perennials that included tiny red flowers on wands that swayed in the breeze over mounds of scalloped green leaves. “What are those?” I asked. “Coral bells,” she answered.
I must have stashed away that knowledge, because when I first went looking for perennials for my own garden several years later, I looked up “Coral Bells” and found that they were a variety of Heuchera. The other Heuchera that was widely available at garden centers was “Palace Purple,” with reddish purple, ivy shaped leaves that would steal the show in the front row of a perennial bed. Its tiny white flowers on spikes were beside the point.
Fast forward 25 years. In search of shade-tolerant plants that would provide multi-season interest in the garden, I discovered that Heuchera are favorites. There are more than 100 varieties available in a wide variety of colors, from nearly black to chartreuse to silvery lavender and everything in between. Holy cow! Where to begin?
Heuchera are a native American species that grow in the wild in rocky, fairly dry conditions, often in the cracks and crevices of rock faces. In the 1600s, New World explorers brought specimens back to Europe, where they became popular garden plants. They were hybridized in the 1800s, but nothing significant happened until the 1980s, when “Montrose Ruby” appeared, a “Palace Purple” hybrid with dark foliage veiled with silver. From then on, abundant Heuchera varieties have been hybridized every year.
I found a trial of Heuchera done by the Mount Cuba Center in Hockessin, Delaware that had tested 83 different kinds and come up with 10 best for the mid-Atlantic region. If you’re in the market for Heuchera, you might want to consult their listing. http://mtcubacenter.org/trials/heuchera/
The Mount Cuba website is a goldmine of information about the care and feeding of Heuchera. In our area, these are best grown in shade or part-shade. Plant labels that suggest they are happy in full sun are most likely made in the northwest, where full sun is a lot less intense than it is here.
The plants do well in moist, well-drained soil. Average soil is fine. They don’t require much maintenance. In spring, trim off the old, dead leaves so that the fresh new leaves can emerge. In mid-summer, the foliage is likely to look a bit ratty. Shear it back and fresh new leaves will arrive in time for late August doldrums. Pinch back flower wands to encourage a second flush of flowers.
Heuchera benefit from dividing every three to five years. As the plants age, their stems get longer and more susceptible to breakage. You will extend their lives by dividing them and embellishing bare spots in your garden with fresh new transplants. Or you can give them to deserving friends. You can be sure that next year will bring several new varieties. Once you start collecting them, beware: Heuchera are addictive.
Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston will hold its first Botanical Tattoo Weekend, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Spend the day watching live tattoo demos, trying your hand at botanical drawing, listening to live music, sampling local food trucks, and shopping at unique artisan booths. See the latest trends in botanical tattoo design in the pop-up art exhibit, connect with regional tattoo artists, try a henna tattoo or botanical face painting, and get a custom Tower Hill temporary tattoo from the shop. Gardens open at 9 a.m. for members.
On Monday, the Western Mass. Master Gardeners Association will host a workshop on designing gardens and habitat for pollinators. WMMGA members will use their own plots and those of other gardeners at the Northampton Community Gardens on Prince Street to demonstrate. The group will meet at 6 p.m. at the Master Gardener kiosk at the back of the gardens. Registration is not required. For more information, contact Larri Cochran at llcochran@gmail.com
Over the years, many people have enjoyed the sage and humorous gardening columns of horticulturist and garden writer Ron Kujawski. On July 19, from 10 a.m. to noon, you will have the opportunity to visit his personal vegetable garden in West Stockbridge. Shared with his daughter Jennifer, this plot of land has been gardened intensively for over 10 years. As Kujawski says, this is a gardener’s garden, nothing fancy, just full of food growing including over 30 varieties of garlic, 16 varieties of tomatoes — and the list goes on. Kujawski will lead this tour of his vegetable plot and share his triumphs and tribulations in the world of growing vegetables.
Kujawski is the former Landscape and Nursery Specialist for UMass Cooperative Extension. He is an educator and researcher in integrated pest management, plant nutrition and soil science. He teaches for the horticultural industry throughout New England. Advance registration is recommended, but walk-ins are welcome, space permitting.
Information and directions the garden will be provided upon registration. For more information and to register, go to: berkshirebotanical.org
Mickey Rathbun can be reached at foxglover8@gmail.com.