Comments on: Heuchera ‘Plum Pudding’ in a Border

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 14:54:49 +0000

Val, I haven’t had much of a problem with slugs, just a few at the end of last summer. I’m not sure if the cold winters and dry climate discourage them, or if I’ve just been lucky.

Some gardeners find that their Heuchera heave out of the ground over winter, and they replant them deeper. I cover my garden with leaves in fall, and they get good snow cover too for the winter which helps insulate them. You must have good leaf cover with all of your oaks.So far, mine seem to be doing well, and come back with lots of foliage. I’ve found Heuchera ‘Mint Frost’ to be very hardy, with no problems.

By: Val

Val — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 18:22:13 +0000

I’m growing purple palace & stormy seas Heuchera. It seems like every year they come back a little weaker and a little smaller. Is there a secret to keeping them producing well? I like the idea of them with ferns and astilbe as I have lot’s of them in my garden. Havn’t tried them all together yet, but will put that on my list for next summer planting. My Brunnera’s began to look a little ragged as slugs seem to really love them. Is that a problem to you?

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:40:44 +0000

ChrisND, the foliage does have a long season of interest. I have some Heuchera ‘Mint Frost’ which is green and silver in summer, but has a great fall transformation to red and orange, without losing the leaves.

By: ChrisND

ChrisND — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 04:28:45 +0000

I really like our Heuchera for the benefits you mention. The foliage lasts the entire season and come spring last years leaves still look nice once the snow melts. I like how the shade and colors change from spring through fall. Ours performs well in a shady area — clay soil helps retain some moisture as we don’t water.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 14:16:08 +0000

Deborah, the combination of Heuchera and ferns sounds great. They would look beautiful featured in an urn. I love the delicate look of maidenhair fern next to bold leaves. I’ve put some astilbe to the right of the Plum Pudding, but maybe I’ll put some maidenhair ferns to their left next season.

By: Deborah at Kilbourne Grove

Deborah at Kilbourne Grove — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:08:25 +0000

I picked up two Plum Puddings earlier in the season $4.00 each, and planted them in my urns with maidenhair fern,Kimberley fern and white caladiums for the season. They looked so great, I am reluctant to pull them out, but I must plant them for the winter. I am already thinking of what I can put them with for the next year.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:16:54 +0000

Joanne, mine get some supplemental water, but they seem to do okay if they don’t get it. They get leaf cover for the winter, and a layer of snow over that. I haven’t had mine heave out of the ground like they sometimes do.

By: Joanne

Joanne — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 13:33:30 +0000

I do so love this plant and many other Heucaras but they must get too dry in our summers because they never last long in my garden.

By: Northern Shade

Northern Shade — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 13:44:08 +0000

Gittan, the beautiful Heuchera leaves do combine well with other plants. I have some ‘Mint Frost’ planted with some Campanula, and some planted with Pulmonaria. I also like how they look with ferns, since they have a nice contrast.

Easygardener, I have my Heuchera all in fairly shady areas, with only an hour or two of sun, and they do well. They do get some extra water, but they don’t seem to get crispy leaves. So far, nothing seems to eat the leaves here either. In my garden, the Heuchera, along with Brunnera and Pulmonaria have the longest season of good looking leaves.

By: easygardener

easygardener — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:32:39 +0000

I do appreciate their foliage but everybody’s Heucheras look better than mine – perhaps that’s why I can’t decide if I really like them. I suspect mine dry out to much which is probably why they never look their best. I think a change of position is called for.