I bought more huecheras today

I added Georgia Peach, Vesuvius and Midnight Rose, one of each, to my collection.

Which cultivar is it that has nearly black leaves with red droplets on them? It actually looks like someone dripped paint on them. I saw them last year but didn't buy since it was late in the season. I wish I had because I haven't seen them since.

Gary

I believe you are talking about Midnight Rose.
Debbie

You could be right, Debbie. I'm remembering a vivid fire truck red instead of dirty pink splotches presently on Midnight Rose. I'll wander through last year's posts to see if I can find it.

Gary,
I just went to Terra Nova web site and found a picture of Midnight Rose. Just click on the name & the picture will come up. I also thought you might like to look at all the plants that they helped create. Here is the link http://www.terranovanurseries.com/wholesale/modules.php?name=Introductions#H
Debbie

This message was edited May 5, 2009 2:57 PM

I'm newly addicted to them myself. I have been calling all over for southern comfort.

I looked through last fall's posts and saw where I mentioned "Red Obsidian" about the same time I purchased "Dolce Creme Brulee" and "Can Can". The nursery I was at Sunday had Red Obsidian last year but didn't order it this year although they have "Obsidian".

Perhaps red obsidian is patented by PW instead of Terra Nova. Maybe it wasn't tough enough to survive winter in our zone.

Thanks for the link.

Gary - That Red Obsidian sounds so pretty, it had to be stunning. It's too bad you didn't pick it up last year! I wonder where your nursery gets their plants from, and I wonder if you asked if they'd order it for you next time they order from them?

Starina - I found Southern Comfort at Home Depot here. I was very surprised to see it's coloring is so close to Caramel - at least these are. I wouldn't be able to tell the difference if I didn't know, other than maybe by comparing leaf shape. I'm collecting villosas so I bought it, plus I love the coloring of Caramel so much anyway so I'm good with it!

medinac, I'm getting ready to plant Southern Comfort in the gardens and will try to remember to take photos. It is very similar to the coloring of Caramel but the leaves are HUGE and have an almost glossy look to them!

rcn - I'll be looking forward to your pictures. Hmmm.. my leaves are not huge and I don't notice a glossy look - but then it's rainy, I just went out and compared them. I sure hope I didn't get more Caramels (although that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing) and they just tagged them Southern Comfort.

I just added silver veil, dark secret, smokey rose, regina, purple petticoats, mini mouse, venus, frosted violet, mars and velvet night to my heuchera collection.
Debbie

I just added Encore (love the color!), Southern Comfort, Ginger Ale, Christa, Pinot Noir, Stormy Seas, Blackout and another Pistache. I may have to start another heuchera bed........

Nice additions Debbie and Carolyn! Debbie - I'd love to see a picture of Minnie Mouse when you get a chance and I'll have to look up some of the others you have as I'm not familiar with some of them.

Carolyn - I'm really loving the villosas myself. They just seem so vigorous and I love the colors. I think the coloring on Beaujolais is my favorite. Do you see a similarity between Southern Comfort, Caramel (do you have that one?) and Christa? Pictures I've seen appear to be similar. My Pistache is burning out right now, it will get more shade soon but I may have to move it. I like the coloring of Beaujolais, Encore and Georgia Peach side by side.

I want Southern Comfort for the size of the leaf, I think it will be interesting with hostas. I added 3 Mahogany recently. Great color!

Starina - I've always like the color of Mahogony. Do you have them in with your hostas? Southern Comfort will look great with the hostas.

Christa and Southern Comfort are quite similar in their coloring. I think Caramel is lighter in color, although the same type of coloring with the peaches and pinky peachy tones - just not as intense.

I have Caramel by Palace Purple, Sparkling Burgundy and some Lemon colored Dead Nettle. Last Night I stuck Pinot Noir in between the Caramel and Dead Nettle. I'll have to get a picture of that with the Pinot Noir.

Thanks for the info on Christa and Southern Comfort. Interesting. Your grouping in the picture look good together. Your Palace Purple gets some nice purple coloring. I would like to the picture with Pinot Nior in there. I've never seen it other than in pictures. Interested to see it's color.

Medinac

I don't think Pinot Noir is looking like what I have seen in the pictures, so you? Perhaps they sent me something other than Pinot Noir? I do like it with the caramel and lemon lamium, dont you?

Carolyn - No... I do think it looks like the pictures. Maybe she needs to grow up some and the coloring will change some more. I do like it's color now though and that grouping does look great together. I really like the lemon lamium. Does that do well with some sun? My bright green heuchera are burning up in what sun they get and it's still very cool and rainy weather here so I need something bright that will take some sun - later in the season that bed will only get late afternoon sun.

Oops, just went to post a pic of "my" Pinot Noir and then realized it's actually 'Pinot Gris'! LOL Carolyn, your Purple Palace IS lovely :) Medinac, I've used the "lemon Lamium" http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2877/ in several areas of the garden and it looks really nice paired with 'Frosted Violet', the same FV that isn't growing so well :( Most areas where it's planted don't receive much sun at all but I think it could take the "late afternoon sun". This is an old photo (2005?) from the original planting of the Lamium with a Geranium. The Geranium was moved last year because the area is now too shady and a lot of the Lamium has now reverted to just plain 'ole green :(

I planted these last fall to help the deep color of the foliage of Britt Marie Crawford really pop! It was really pretty a few weeks before when the Aquilegia 'Little Lanterns' was blooming with red and yellow flowers :) Good thing the Lamium wasn't blooming at the same time, I think the pinky/purple flowers would have clashed! LOL Years ago I had Lamium 'Beedham's White' http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2879/ with white flowers which wouldn't "clash" with anything but it's long gone in the gardens and I rarely see it offered any more.

Sorry I still haven't taken the photo to compare 'Caramel' to 'Southern Comfort'. I had good intentions, grabbed the camera but then it started raining :( Should have grabbed the camera yesterday but the weather was so nice after two days of rain I was busy weeding! I'll try to get a few pics today and post them tomorrow.

rcn - great pictures. The lamium and geranium are fantastic together and really light up the darkness in the second one. I planted two Rozanne geraniums last September among the heuchera and both bit the dust. I was so disappointed and I figure if they both died, I'm not trying again. I am seeing subtle differences in Caramel and Southern Comfort by color and leaf texture. Am loving the Southern Comfort's color even better and I LOVE Caramel. Would still like to see yours - whenever you get a chance between rainfalls and weeding. I know how it goes, all that rain is really feeding those stinkin' weeds!

Judy came home with a new huechera variety yesterday. It's a huechera x sanguinea hybrid named "Silver Scoll". No Jim (Potagere), I didn't find any reference to Terra Nova on it. I planted it this morning out in the pump garden where most of my other heuchs are planted.

I've lost two of my Ginger Ale out there and the third (last ) one is valiantly trying to survive. The two Caramel have size to them but the color is off and the leaves look dry as if touching them would cause disintegration. Beneath the mulch the soil is wet almost to the mudball stage. One Paris is growing while the other is spindly; the same with the Sashays. I was pleasantly surprised to find four of six Butterfly Weed (asclepias tuberosa) survived the winter.

My new heuchs in the Memorial garden are doing well. I noticed the Georgia Peach had burned leaves on one side of it and considered moving it to more shade. A short time later our Yorkie came by and marked it. Our terrier stopped a short while later and re-marked it. So much for the mystery of why leaves are dying. The Tiramisu are growing. One is up to tomato juice lid size. The other is the size of a small casserole dish.

One of these days I'll get out there with my camera.
Gary

As promised, finally the comparison shot of Southern Comfort (left) and Caramel (right). Something I didn't realize until today, the flowers of SC remind me of Ginger Ale with their soft lemon color!

Hard to see in the previous photo but a closer look shows you what I was talking about with Southern Comfort's leaves. They're much glossier than the fuzzy leaves of Caramel.

rcn - Thanks for taking the time for the picture, sounds like you have alot to accomplish before your trip (don't feel bad, I'm still planting pots too - last 2 tomorrow, hopefully). I can definitely see the difference between the two in your picture. Mine are not that distinguishable but I can tell a difference in the leaves. Neither have flowered yet but I will love the flower color too if they are a lemon color, NICE!

Gary - Congrats on the new addition! But sorry for your losses. Wet soil and dog pee are NOT good combinations for heuchera! Does that area normally stay wet or is it just because we've had so much rain? Just a suggestion - and I'm just trying this myself so I haven't seen it proven... but I have a couple areas where the soil is good amended soil with compost and sphagnum peat but it is just heavy and stays wet a long time. I was told on the soil and compost forum that adding vermiculite or perlite would help that situation - it creates air pockets allowing the soil to "fluff" up and dry out faster which will allow the roots to spread faster. I put some in another area that is just heavy soil but not wet - I probably should have used vermiculite because that will help hold the water but I only had perlite - which does not hold water from what I'm told. In the heavy wet area I will use the perlite.
As far as the dogs marking them....hmmmm..... gonna have to think about that one!

I've always wondered about the moisture level in the pump garden, medinac. It's basically a bowl where a tree once stood and the stump was ground down to a foot below the ground level. I think there are places for excess water to seep through/by the old roots that are left. When we built it last year we raised the dirt level eight inches and placed landscaping brick around it before adding two inches of mulch after planting the flowers. So, to answer your question, I'm not sure whether the soil is holding moisture or it's the result of spring rains. Adding vermiculite at this point would be a major undertaking.

Can't do much about the dogs unless we go the fence route. We did that last year and were hoping to avoid it this year. Oh well, love me love my dogs is Judy's attitude. *grin*

I found two more heucheras I didn't have - Miracle & Pinot Gris at Home Depot. I just planted them. I'm running out of room. I can't seem to say no when I find one.
Debbie

Carolyn:

I noticed the lamium in your picture. Is it Ann Hathaway or Ann Greenway?

Thanks for posting the pics rcn48! Now I really want Southern Comfort.
I planted the Mohogany's in with hostas and everything else. All of my beds are mixed. I'll take some pics tomorrow.

I found southern comfort today. Also picked up color dream, plum royale and melting fire at the same time. They are waiting to be planted along with the citronelle, tango, can can and peach melba I smuggled home already lol. Georgia peach and electra will be joining them soon too.

Sounds like you made a big haul, bj. Looking forward to some pics when you get them planted.

Gary

Boy, I wish I could find those locally here, bj. I made a vow to buy locally this year, it's killing me!

Carolyn posted this on the other topic here in the Heuchera Forum "New from Terra Nova" (I think that's what it was called)...just in case anyone is interested.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1000961/

Hope my link works. It's under co-ops titled Terra Nova Echies..

I just received an order from Garden Crossings. I got Electra, Encore, Georgia Peach, Pinot Gris and Southern Comfort.

I was amazed at the perfect condition they arrived in. I had never seen leaves on a heurchera as big as the ones on Southern Comfort. I actually got out a tape measure and measured them: 8-1/2" x 9" long! Georgia Peach's leaves were about 6" across. Great company to order from.

I know my Southern ?Comfort is beautiful this year... I have mine in mostly shade. Do you all also? I won't move mine it is so pretty and large. I also have siler scrolls love it, Melting Fire not so much! Peach Melba, do you all have it in part sahde or shade. Mine is very small. Key Lime pie is also. I think I will move some more to the front yard where it gets some morning sun? They should do fine there. I just took out all the ground cover and junk and put in hostas and huecheras. Love the little devils! Happy 4th of July everyone. Ronna

goldfinch - How wide has your Southern Comfort grown so far? I think the general consensus on Melting Fire is thumbs down. Not too many have had success growing it, just Melts away.

medinac, I'll check on the Southern Comfort tonight after work and let you know. I don't think it's done too much growing since I've planted it last week, but I can still check on overall width.

goldfinch - Oh! I'm so sorry... I meant that to be for gardenlady since she's had hers planted and is large. I must have been half asleep when writing that post. I apologize... you're right, don't think it's grown much in a week! You got some nice heuchs - Georgia Peach is one of my favorites. I have Pino Gris in quite a bit of sun and have noticed it is losing it's multi colorored look. Has turned mostly green, and a strange color green at that. Not an ugly green, just different. I need to get them in more shade.

No problem :) My Southern Comfort is a little green too - was when I got it. Hope when it gets settled in it turns more golden.