Perennials: "Carmel" and Tiarella help, please, 1 by sempervirens

sempervirens wrote:
notgrnjean,
Don't despair, Caramel is one of the easier Heuchera cultivars to grow, at least for me in N.J. Frequently Heucheras look better in the cooler weather of spring and fall, but this one puts on a great display all through our hot humid summer and it doesn't seem to be bothered by slugs as some of the others are. The leaf color changes dramatically through the seasons, sometimes it's an acidic ochre or has red new growth or turns rich amber. I grow it in a shady area and in partial sun and it tolerates both well. It does have a nice winter presence so don't cut it back in the fall but wait untill spring to groom out the older dead leaves. Heucheras can heave in the winter so a mulch after the ground freezes. I use pine needles or xmas tree branches. You might also try Palace Purple, a cultivar with deep marroon leaves, this seems to do well for everyone.
The tiarella you are looking for is Tiarella cordifolia, which spreads as a ground cover by stolons, similiar to strawberries. The tiarellas are shade plants. Some of the newer cultivars are very picky about where they want to live and can be short lived perennials. I have Tiarella Wherryi which is clump forming instead of spreading as I have a small garden. This is a lovely moderately easy plant if it likes where you plant it, moist shade seems best for me. You can just see a baby one in flower with the heucheras in the photo.

Your idea of using newspapers and cutting through and planting is how I've done much of my garden but if you have a running ground cover like the tiarella you'll have to open up space in the spring so it can spread.

Debbie,
I was typing when your post came in. It seems we have had similar information.



This message was edited Nov 1, 2006 4:30 AM