Monday, July 12, 2010

My Love Affair With Heucheras

Coral Bells, does anyone even remember this name?  As far as I am concerned I am glad it is gone.  I can't tell you how many coral bell plants I purchased only to see them disappear or pop out of the ground during our harsh winters.  The delicate little leaves, spindly flowers and lack of vigor stopped me from using them in my landscape many years ago.

Voila!  The heucheras came into being with an explosion of large leafed villosa hybrids that withstand our winters, take a good amount of sun and delight us with their unusual colors.  I know there are some who do not like the carmels, citronelles, chocolates, mochas and so on.  But, I for one, say hurrah!  We finally have heucheras that blend into our environments, with bright green groundcovers, tan grasses, prairies, fall leaf colors, etc.