Northern Shade Gardening

garden bookshelf with Heuchera books

These two great book are packed with useful information about Heuchera (coral bells), Tiarella (foamflower) and their cross, Heucherella (foamy bells).  I’ve had the books for a couple of years on the shelf with some of my favourite gardening books, as they are very handy. Since two of the major North American Heuchera breeders and introducers have written them, there is a wealth of helpful tips, and you get some of the inside story on what goes into breeding them. The perennials have exceptional foliage for the shade, and many combine this with attractive flowers, too, so its helpful to have such detailed references for them.

Heucheras and Heucherellas:  Coral Bells and Foamy Bells

Heucheras and Heucherellas coral bells and foamy bells book

Heucheras and Heucherellas: Coral Bells and Foamy Bells is written by Dan Heims of Terra Nova Nurseries and Graham Ware. The book was was published by Timber Press in 2005, ISBN 0-88192-702-3.

Heucheras and Heucherellas coral bells and foamy bells book back

The picture of the back cover shows the incredible variety in foliage colours and shapes that Heuchera and Heucherella have. The book has extensive photographs by Dan Heims himself, showing details of the flowers and leaves. There is an overview of the species and their traits, with a much more detailed and alphabetized list of Heuchera cultivars and Heucherella, including a discussion of their features. The alphabetical listing makes a very convenient reference if you want to look up a name that is new to you or that you saw in a garden centre. There is a history of the various breeders of these perennials and the contributions they have made. For gardeners, there is a section on how to look after these plants, and advice about propagation by seed and cuttings. Since Heuchera cultivars come in a vast array of leaf colour combinations, the section on how to combine them with other bronze, silver or yellow plants is very useful. When I plant new garden combinations, it’s helpful to pick up colour echos from the surrounding perennials. There are other practical sections, too, such as tips for cut flower arranging of Heuchera and combinations to plant in pots.

Heucherella photos from Heucheras and Heucherellas by Dan Heims

Here’s a photo from Dan Heims’ book of my favourite Heucherella, but as you will see in the very last picture, the ‘Dayglow Pink’ in my garden don’t get quite as many flowers in their very shady location. There are 56 pages of coloured photos at the beginning of his book, so you can compare the more bold as well as subtle differences in flowers and leaves.

Heuchera, Tiarella and Heucherella A Gardener’s Guide

Heuchera Tiarella and Heucherella by Charles and Martha Oliver book cover

The second book, Heuchera, Tiarella and Heucherella: A gardener’s guide, is written by Charles and Martha Oliver of The Primrose Path. It was published by Batsford in 2006, ISBN-10: 0713490098. As the title indicates, this book also includes a discussion of the related Tiarella.

Heuchera Tiarella and Heucherella by Charles and Martha Oliver back cover

Since the Olivers are breeders of Heuchera and Tiarella, there is  extensive information about the different species, including the size, colour and shape of the flowers and leaves, as well as plant form. They discuss how these qualities are chosen and contribute to garden hybrids. The original habitat of native species gives clues about how hardy various hybrids will be, and how much shade or sun they will tolerate. It’s interesting to read about the history of the breeding lines they’ve used and resulting crosses. There is a discussion of the various cultivars, arranged by leaf colour and sports. This is handy if you are searching for a particular colour of Heuchera for your garden. They also give recommendations for particular garden sites such as woodland or rock garden, including sample planting maps. There are lots of coloured photos throughout the book of the plants growing in gardens, as well as sketches of leaf and flower forms.

tissue culture from Heuchera Tiarella and Heucherella by the Olivers

I was particularly interested to read in the Olivers’ book about how tissue culture works, since so many plants are propagated this way now. For this process they use small pieces of axillary buds in sterile nutrient medium and they even give the basic recipe and steps, not that I’m ready to set up a micropropagation lab.

There are a few drawbacks to both volumes. Since they were published in 2005 and 2006, neither of these books discuss the very newest cultivars that have been bred in the last 7 years. It would be great if there was an updated version of each. Also, because some newer Heuchera are more tolerant of heat and sun, it’s important to know the cultivars’ requirements before choosing one for your gardening zone or a specific light exposure in your garden. Neither of them necessarily gives those details, other than for the species. Despite these minor points, they are still very informative books that make them an enjoyable read.

If you are growing these perennials, or are interested in finding out more about them, I’d recommend either book as a handy garden reference, an interesting plant history, and an inside look at their breeding. Both are very useful if you are interested in a comparison of the species, details of cultivars, tips for their care, and instructions for propagation.

Heucherella ‘Dayglow Pink’ in my garden

In the photo above you can see the dark pink Heucherella ‘Dayglow Pink’ growing in my garden next to some Tiarella. Here is a comparison I wrote of the foliage of some of my Heuchera. There are pictures and information about Heuchera ‘Cinnabar Silver’,   ‘Plum Pudding’, and  ‘Green Spice’ in these articles. You can read about  ‘Havana’ and  Peppermint Spice’, as well as ‘Raspberry Ice‘. There’s a comparison of my Tiarella, and there are pictures of my Heucherella in this post.

Do you grow any Heuchera, Tiarella or Heucherella, and if so, which are your favourites?

hippeastrum (amaryllis)

Merry Christmas. I hope that everyone is enjoying the season. It is very cold and snowy here, so I look out the window wistfully at the parts of the garden that manage to rise above the snow, and make plans for next year. I’m looking forward to the first spring bulbs, but meanwhile I’ve got a few bulbs growing indoors.

amaryllis bulbs growing

In order to enjoy the scent of soil and the satisfaction of watching something grow, I’ve got some Hippeastrum (amaryllis) bulbs in various stages of growth. It’s such fun to watch their progress, and of course so easy since they don’t require chilling. From the first tiny point of emerging green to the splendid, showy flowers, they are fun to observe. The ones in bloom need staking, even after only one of the flowers fully opens, and the heavy pots help keep the tall, top-heavy flowers stable.

Christmas bears

Here’s a warm fire to offset the frigid temperatures outdoors. The Christmas bears are warming their toes, after having fun in the snow, but I’ve warned them not to get their paws too close.

Christmas tree ornaments

This collage shows some of the ornaments from my tree. I have some birds that I’ve had since I was a child, given to me by my father when I belonged to the young naturalist’s club. I got one per month, and now 40 or so of them nest in my tree. The little presents were ones that I made from homemade wrapping paper, by carving and printing them with ink onto tissue paper. There are more teddies on the tree, and various mini-wreathes and mini-baskets I’ve made and wrapped with ribbons, berries or cones. I made some little cross stitched ornaments, too.

Christmas presents

I hope that Santa is good to you, and that you have a peaceful holiday. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Northern Shade.

The garden has transformed from late fall colours to a mostly monochrome winter white. The conifers, Picea (spruce), Pinus (pine) and Taxus (yew) are what provide most of the colour now.

October fall garden collage

In the middle of October, the Hydrangea paniculata flowers still had tinges of pink, the Phlox paniculata were white and purple, while the leaves of Tiarella and Heuchera were providing decorative patterns in the garden. The various Campanula were mostly still sporting pretty blue flowers, for an almost summer look.

late October snow in garden collage

Then at the end of October, the garden had a light frosting of white. It decorated the leaves of evergreen plants, like Cornus canadensis (bunchberry), Tiarella (foamflower), Heuchera (coral bells),  Helleborus (hellebores) and Epimedium (bishop’s hat). The snow etched the edges of the birdbaths, but there was still water for the birds to visit.

deep snow in garden collage

Now, we have over 30 cm (a foot) of snow, enough to cover the low perennials, and beat the taller perennials to the ground. The birds will have to bring a snow shovel if they want a bath. We’ve changed to winter, and the plants that take centre stage are the tall conifers. They will remain the stars for the next 5 to 6 months. The large spruce and pine, so prevalent in the Boreal Forest just north of here, easily withstand the weight of snow on their branches. It collects on their outstretched branches, and then eventually rolls down the sloping boughs of the spruce, or sifts through the widely spaced needles of the pines.

tall conifers with snow

Here are some tall Picea (spruce) in my front yard showing their best trait, which is to upraise piles of white snow with their long green boughs. These living sculptures are a wonderful antidote to the blandness of winter. The conifers are over 35 years old, so they are imposing on the landscape. Although I live on an average sized lot in the suburbs, they create a forest atmosphere. Wildlife appreciates them, too, all year round.

Pinus mugo with snow

My tall Pinus mugo (mugho pine) has multiple stems. It’s a rangy forest pine, rather than one of those cute little mini mugho shrubs for the mixed border. I’ve been wanting to add a more compact mugo to a different garden area, but this large one is a match for the spruce trees here. In the garden underneath there are lots of Tiarella (foamflowers) covered up for winter.

animal tracks under evergreens

Here is where a pine and spruce meet in front of my house. You can follow the animal tracks under the trees to a cozy conifer cave.

animal tracks under spruce tunnel

More tracks lead under some spruce branches that are about 60 cm (2 ft) off the ground. There are many short perennials planted under these trees that are buried until spring. The snow helps insulate the Heuchera (coral bells), Tiarella (foamflower), Brunnera, Hosta, dwarf Aruncus (goatsbeard), Epimedium (bishop’s hat), Asarum (wild ginger), Hepatica (liverleaf) and others in the garden here. In the summer I’m always looking down to see the perennials, and don’t notice the evergreens as much. In winter it’s the conifers, twice the height of the house, that catch your attention, and force you to look up.

snow on railing

We’ve transitioned from late fall into full blown winter. Snow is piling up on every surface, and last night it was -19° C (-2° F). Instead of hunching over, and staring at the snow as I rush from car to house, I can look up at the sparkling conifers and the blue sky. When the sun shines, and the snow glistens, it can be enjoyable to be outside and delight in the winter sights.