Container creations
Hardy Heuchera and their cousins, the equally robust Heucherella (a cross between Heuchera and Tiarella) offer year round colour and texture in a spectacular array of gorgeous varieties. Choose your hues from vibrant limes to silver accented mauves, rich peach-amber tones which can morph with the seasons, or glossy near-blacks to flaming fire engine reds.
Their prowess as shade-loving border plants is well known, but how about a Heuchera or Heucherella for your latest container creation? These versatile North Americans perform very well in pots and hanging baskets. They have fibrous roots which thrive in potting mix and tend to retain moisture well, so they’re particularly tolerant to the occasional dry spell should watering be overlooked. When planted in the garden Heuchera and Heucherella grow best in lighter well-drained soils, although incorporating compost at planting is an effective remedy in heavier clay soils.
These quintessential foliage perennials generally prefer some shade, and protection from the harsher afternoon sun is best, but a little morning sunshine is well tolerated by all but the lightest of colours. The darker varieties (e.g. Obsidian, Black Taffeta, Midnight Rose) are quite tolerant of a sunnier position.
Just one of these bold foliage plants in a pot is enough to create impact on its own, but they’re great mixers too. Start with a Heuchera or Heucherella as your base plant and add strappy textures (e.g. Liriope or mondo grass) and trailing plants (e.g. Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ or Convolvulus ‘Two Moons').
Start with a top quality planting mix. Yates water storage crystals (hydrated before being worked into the potting mix at planting time) can pay big dividends to maximise the summer performance of your living work of art. For best results feed with slow release fertiliser or liquid feed regularly.
For the full range of colours and textures visit www.livingfashion.co.nz
26-Sep-2021
Heuchera Lime Marmalade, Heuchera Marmalade, Heucherella Alabama Sunrise with Begonia, Dicentra and vertical accents.
Heuchera Midnight Rose
A ceramic pot harmonises with shade loving Pulmonaria and Heuchera Midnight rose. Heucherella Alabama Sunrise and Heuchera Peppermint Spice are planted in the pot.
Plants for . . .
