Heucheras

Here's a nice Daff & Heuchera pic - Green Spice. The plays of "fresh colours" is nice with this combo.

Hi growin'. It's good to see/hear from you again!

I have Green Spice with some Dicentra - the pinks in the two plants really compliment one another.

I tend to still have some of the darker plants, but have lost some of the lighter, caramelly ones. What about you? Have you noticed any difference in robustness in the different cultivars?

Some gorgeous plants and combinations here! I am going to definitely have to try to start some of mine that are looking rangy at this point, and am now convinced that I have to move a few things here and there to go with them! Keep the pictures coming!

Hi katie59!

I was thinkin' about visiting the Rhodo garden in Seattle. Never been but wondered about it. I'm not sure if you all meet up at different gardens but it would be neat to join in a walk. I typically get too focused on pics and then forget to enjoy the walk.

In the nursery some cultivars were not strong enough to have sufficient plants from plugs to justify continuing the cultivar. Lime Ricky wasn't so good. Here's Hollywood which seemed to have nice blooms and performed nicely in the garden.

Hey, Mike. That's good to know. I actually have one Lime Rickey that's doing okay, though it's a little spotty. I'm hoping that will go away.

We are planning a trip down to Mt. Tahoma nursery in Graham when the alpines are in bloom. That would make a good photography trip, I think. And then we also have talked about visiting Lakewold in Tacoma when the rhodies there are in bloom. Pixydish says that's spectacular.

Hope you can join us for one of those!

Hi Growin. What combinations do you think would work well with Midnight Rose? She's so pretty, but I can't seem to set her off as well as I'd like. That Hollywood is really nice-maybe the pink blooms would go w/ Midnight rose?



This message was edited Mar 3, 2010 11:28 AM

You could use that plant. I was thinking the yellow flowered Corydalis or something light foliaged or even yellow. The colour isn't so good in shade so a spot that gets sun.

Growin, which Rhode garden are you thinking about visiting? Rarejem and I work within a mile or so of the Rhodendron Species Garden on Weyerhaeuser property in Federal Way. Perhaps we could link up. We plan to go to their plant store sometime in the not too distant future.

PNWMountainGirl, that's the garden I was thinking of visiting. I've never been there but it looks like a good spot to visit around this time of year. I was thinking mid-March or so. Once I figure out when I've got a day or two I'll post here and see if anyone else wants to join in.

Maybe a short Coreopsis or Hakenakloa Aureola (sp?) would look real nice mixed with Midnight Rose.

Growin, it's definitely worth the trip to see the Weyerhauser garden. It's a lovely spot. You are also welcome to come down here to join us in going to Mt. Tahoma and Lakewold gardens. Lakewold has beautiful rhododendrons. We haven't set the date for that trip yet.

I e-mailed Rick and asked when he would welcome visitors. Will let you all know when he responds.

Cold weather is absolutely not allowed any more this season :{ .

What in the world? My post went above the last two posts???

Pixy, Has anyone contacted Rick at Mt Tahoma to find out when a good time to visit would be? He told us last year, and I can't remember exactly what he said. He wanted us to wait until after his "major" shipping chores were done, and for some reason late April/early May sticks in my head, but I can't remember for sure. If no-one has contacted him, I am happy to and at least get a time frame that he would welcome visitors.

That's what I have in my head, too, Julie. I was thinking of planning to head down in the first weekend in May. Of course, things may be blooming early this year.

It'd be great if you wanted to/had the time to check in with him.

Also, I heard today that cold temperature are anticipated next week, so protect your seedlings.

Thought I would post here in case anyone sees it before tomorrow.. Fred Meyer has a coupon in their stores for 'buy one get one free' on all their plants, and they have some 4" heucheras for 2.99, regular price. They have several different varieties.

Does the coupon sale start tomorrow?

Lynn, the typical FM ad starts on a Sunday & runs through the following Saturday. There will be a new flyer this Sunday. My guess is that the sale is going on now; may or may not run into next week.

Thanks Katye. I was just there yesterday, but I didn't go into the garden section. Dang.

Mom went on the way home tonight and it was buy 2, get one free. Unfortunately, she said that the heuch's were pretty limited in Bonney Lake.

Thanks for the update, Julie.

Yes, it was buy two get one, sorry. They had four cultivars at my Fred Meyer, including Palace purple. Don't worry, they always have these sales. It will happen again.

An open sign works for me!

The F Meyer coupon is only good through today. I picked up a Harvest Lemon Chiffon for myself and one for Julie. They only had two other varieties in that price range and one (a purple) looked a little strage around the edges, maybe mildew? Can't remember the name. I thought I already had Palace Purple so passed on that one.

Hm, there must be some reason I need to go to FM today, particularly one that tends to have good plants....I don't have lemon chiffon yet.

I went to the local FM a little while ago and they had NONE! Fie on them!

Eeek, I've been enabled! Went to the Ballard Fred Meyer and got two Heucheras (Lemon Chiffon & Silver Scrolls) - and then about 20 other plants... ah well, everything was really cheap and I found some good golden thyme steppables for the stepping stone path I want to put in around my veggie boxes and some other herbs I was looking for.

Thanks for the heads up :)

Some of us are very good enablers. I got four hearthers, bog rosemary, and another hellebore at my FM.

Judi, That's how I felt when I went to our FM after Willow posted her lovely hellebores... and all they had was NOTHING but potted daffodills. Empty.... Nada.... I was major bummed! At least they have finally started to get some plants in now.

Kymmco, Willow is right.... there are some very good enablers here! Sounds like you came home with some wonderful things.

I was cleaning my back pond area and discovered that the hechura that I planted there is Snow Angel, and it is doing wonderfully. My trick? Go into finding a location for it not realizing how fussy it is (not knowing much about the species at all as a matter of fact), and then plant it in a spot where you really shouldn't plant a heuchura (like a wet pond edge). Voila.... It has been there for four years, and although it is looking a bit scrappy right now, it should be lovely in a month or so. I am afraid now that I know that it usually doesn't do that well, it will start to melt just to spite me.

FYI, I did contact Rick at Mt Tahoma, and he said that he would love to have us visit any time after May 1st. If we want to go as a group, all we have to do is decide when and let him know in advance. He will let us pre-order and pick up the orders at that time as well. Maybe a garden day with a tour of Lakewold in bloom and then Mt Tahoma in bloom?

That would be nice.

Glad your Snow Angel is doing well!

I have that 'snow angel' also. It looks about the same as yours. Needs a little more heat.

Willow is spot on - Snow Angel actually does quite well in warmer climates. Perhaps a more sheltered area would be best. I'm going to move mine into a protected spot to see if that will help.
They love the soil they're in, but just too exposed. Heuchera jackets - that's what they need.

I've tried twice with Snow Angel, to no good outcome. I didn't know it was more tender than the others. I'll try transplanting the poor, bedraggled thing to a more protected spot, but I think I should probably wait until the weather warms up a bit.

I stuck four stems in the ground when I did my dividing last week. I think think that at least a couple of them are going to form leaves.

I thought my 'snow angel' was doing really well until I saw Julies. I will shut up now. Why do they call it 'snow angel' if it likes more heat? That is more than a little misleading! I could get miffed if I let myself!
Instead, I will post this photo. I believe this is a glorious Heuchera. But I do not know which one it is. Actually, having been dividing heuchera and doing vole protection lately, I find that I have an embarrassment of heucheras in the garden. I'm sure I will have extras come true spring. Especially considering I just ordered more, and considering that I'll probably buy more as well. I am such a sucker for a nicely turned leaf.

Could we do the middle of May for the Mt. Tahoma tour? I have 'events' the first and second weekend of May already. Really, warm weather is much too short around here. How about May 15?

lol Pixy. Warm 'Snow Angel'. They didn't look so good in the greenhouse either. Mt. Tahoma looks like they have a nice collection! Do they have a display garden at the nursery?

Heuchera 'Georgia Peach'

I understand the display gardens are outstanding, although they require a bit of a hike to reach.

Pixy, I don't believe that there is such a thing as an "embarrassment" of heucheras. What other plant can give you such a variety of colors and textures in and around your garden? Your combo is lovely!

Looking at that picture and the one of Georgia Peach, I definitely need more of the reds!

Growin, Mt Tahoma has a wonderful display garden. It is a feast for the eyes in terms of form, texture, and color. I honestly don't think I have ever found myself in a garden where I had the desire to "touch" the plants as much as I did there. The alpines are so small in stature, but so different that you find yourself having to examine each one, and Rick is a wealth of knowledge... when you admire a plant, he can tell you where it is native, growing habits, etc without missing a beat. When we visited last August, there were very few plants in bloom, and it was still fascinating. He told us that April/May is the heaviest bloom time for his display gardens.

Here is a picture of one of the display beds.

Do you guys think that Rick's plants will be early this year. We should make our plan based on the fact that everything this year is a month early.

Georgia Peach looks lovely. I saw it in Kate's garden last weekend, too. That's one I'd like to get, I think, especially for those big leaves. Sue, is that what you paired with the calibrochoa in your pots?

Of course, after this week, it'll be interested to see if anything's damaged. I had frost on the windshield this morning and my Hellebores were frozen . . .

Mike, I had absolutely no interest in alpines until I saw Rick's plants - and it wasn't even their best season. Imagine all your favorite perennials and then picture them in miniature. He had an alpine columbine that was very identifiable as such, but it was 1/4 the size of the blossom you normally see.