Heucheras

You've had some fun alright! I'm sure there will be advice for you soon, Oliveoil....heucheras are on my "want/need" list too! As you say, it's inspiration from other GOYers that has helped us to realize what a lovely show they make.

Are your new containers the ones with the "frilly" edges? I do like them :) I hope you can successfully overwinter your plants and look forward to seeing how they grow into nice, bushy beauties :)

Yes Whistonlass the frilly edged ones, three different sizes, hope the frost doesn't get them. Thanks for the comments

They are lovely colours B, I don't know a lot about Heucheras, they are a plant I've tried but not had much success with I always thought my heavy clay soil may have something to do with it, but at their best they are a beautiful plant

I want to have some next spring--- in pots grouped together on the patio, I've one at the moment with really dark leaves but, like you I don't know how it will be over the winter so I'll just keep an eye on it and see, Notcutts near Peterborough had some marmalade ones last saturday and they are certainly on my wish list for my collection!

Lovely collection Olive/o....This is also my first winter with Heucheras..I bought mine during the Spring, they are in pots too, grouped together...doing good....'marmalade' had a good frosting on it last week and came through, beautifully...Im going to group them together against the house wall qnd hope for the best....David may be able to give you some more advice......:>)

Lovely! They are fairly tough generally I think. Good idea to put them in pots and keep them away from the worst of the weather, especially bearing in mind what has been said about heavy clay soil. I only have two - in pots - and three or four of the lovely yellow leaved ones at the front, but the soil there is very free draining and stony. We shall see how they fare over winter! Lovely choices Oliveoil!

They look gorgeous! I have a few in the garden, they are quite big and seem to get on alright in my clay soil. Will take some pictures. Mine are over 2 yrs old.

Read somewhere that the Creme Brule is a bit of an iffy one, maybe put a fleece over it and the Lime one also, wouldn't like to lose them now I have bought them. Thanks for all your responses.

Well, it's a good idea if you're worried, but I think if they are in the shelter of the house, in pots, they will be fine. I hate fleecing things, it always blows all around the garden! Do you have a cold frame you could put them in?

'Just went mad in the GC yesterday' has to be the best line to start a gardening blog ... made me laugh anyway !

I've planted my Heucheras in a raised bed .. should be ok as far South as we are ... fingers crossed. Sugar Frosting one looks lovely. : o ))

No, but had a look yesterday at one, so maybe will get one, or probably one of those covered in upright ones I could stand that against the side of the house. I hate fleece also, only because it spoils the look of things, I hate the furniture covered over also, so I stopped doing that and just leave it out to the weather and paint it in preservative each spring. It seems to have worked ok so will keep on doing it. I have fleece that you can pull tight on a toggle, bit like an anorak fastening, that stops it from blowing off, bit like a bag really. Will wrap up the dahlias in this and hope that keeps them from rotting off, experiment experiment, they were only from Wilkos so if I lose them I haven't lost too much money.

Think they thought I was mad because I was there for 8.30 after dropping off Sam off at her course. I had a lovely wander around it was desolated, then had coffee and cake (of course) so that was why I had to go for a walk to get rid of the calorie intake. lol. I didn't feel too bad about eating the cake after my stroll around Hubbard Hills. lol.

The dahlias will all die down completely to the tubers. The trick with them is great heaps of straw or other mulch over the top to protect the tubers. This is all theory though as I've never grown them as you know! 8.30? I think we are all going spendtastic this week! I'm glad I'm not the only one! At least yours was for presents though and not pension again!! ;)) You spent your rose voucher yet?

No not spent it yet, waiting for spring to get here and then hopefully I shall have a better idea of what I want, I have ordered that many just lately I am a bit bothered I might have overdone it so will wait and see what I still need, I am seriously thinking of taking out clematis Multiblue and Duchesse of Edinburgh, they have been pretty dismal this year, well not really done much at all, so think I may buy climbing roses with my voucher for the arch they are on. I am thrilled with the rambler up the wooden arch, it has gone really well, so I am really thinking that another couple up the metal arch will work well. Red and Cream together one either side I thought, but will have another look at my catalogue before I make final decision.

Duchess of Edinburgh is notorious for wilt. I had it for so long I'd forgotten I had it, then one year.....glorious! Next year...not much to rave about. If you fancied, maybe you could use it to buy one of his books. They are apparently very good and it would give you something to drool over through the winter! I asked specifically for one last Xmas but never got it...I've given up completely on asking directly for what I want...it's even more disappointing than getting disappointing surprises!! ;))

I know how that is too Karen, I don't ask for anything at Christmas everyone asks what do you want, I think Christmas is for giving not requesting, so I don't do it. I try not to ask what people want, if they don't like what they get tough cookie. They can always give it away. lol. I try and think what people would like, sometimes you get it right sometimes not. I shall never forget the year that Sarah wanted wanted wanted Addidas trackie bottoms with orange stripes down the sides nothing else would do, lol. she went on and on, so we bought them and a pair of bright orange ones, we thought it was so funny she opened them up in the right order and burst into tears, as she did. I didn't expect the reaction, we thought it was a laugh, she was gutted, until of course she opened the real ones up and then she was mardy with us for the rest of the morning for laughing at her. We are naughty parents, scarred her for life. She has never forgiven us. Bless. We still get a laugh out of it. Evil we are!! Teenagers don't you just love em.

Oh I'm glad to hear you spent your vouchers so wisely :o). I think they're all lovely. There are so many types to be had

Lime pie is great, so is the Sugerfrosting, just love heucheras, black ones, red ones, orange ones and caramel ones...........enjoy!

Thank you Hywel, pleased you like my choices

Thanks Lulu they are very pretty, love them, am going to make them a border just for them, well that is next year when the weather picks up.

Olive....my parents did the same with me one Christmas. I was learning to type at school and really wanted a typewriter. I opened all my pressies and got a record player! I tried to look happy and thankful.

Anyhow....as we ate our Christmas dinner many hours later my dad pointed to behind the Christmas tree and the curtain there...and said...what's that peeking out? And you guessed it....a typewriter for one spoiled kid! I was in tears of happiness but I was annoyed that they withheld on me too. So I can see how you'd get the kind of reaction you did.
All was forgiven of course :)

so pleased you enjoyed your day yesterday in GC.

I certainly did Clarice, lovely time, spendaholic I was.

Hi , I love heucheras too I have 7 at the moment and I am really jealous of your Keylime one I have been trying to get one for ages but have not had much luck I hope mine last the winter as they are so colourful:)

Yes they certainly are colourful nanad

Glad you mentioned the clematis `Duchess of Edinburgh` Olive, I have posted a question asking if it could be moved.
Mine has been a really poor specimen and I thought it was something I had done wrong - yet all others have been fine - I`m moving it anyway and if it survives ok - if not too bad.
I do like your choice of Heucheras, I`ve had `plum pudding` and `purple palace` in the garden for the last three years and they seem to survive whatever the weather throws at them.

I think that you spent wisely, there, Olive!! :-)) Lovely plants!! The only thing I would say, from experience, concerns them being planted in pots at this time of the year. The pots may well be "frost-free", but the compost isn't. If you have a known frost-free area of the garden, site them there, and/or wrap the pots with fleece, to protect the plants' root systems. If you do manage to create a border for them, they will thrive much better, and you should be able to divide them, hopefully, in Spring 2012 for more freebies! Sounds like a long way off, lol!!

H. "Black Beauty" does exist, of course. I have only seen it as an exhibit in shows here, though. "Obsidian" is the more usual dark variety on sale generally. I do hope that this one had the real label. Can't tell from your pic. Like most of my pics, dark brown usually looks purple in photos, lol!!! "Chocolate Ruffles" is one of my favourites, btw. I bought one plant 3 years ago, now have 5, and have given 10 away - all from easy divisions. Good Luck!!

Thanks for the advice David, will wrap them up, they are close to the house alongside the bulbs in pots, quite sheltered really so should be ok. they were quite potbound when I planted them but look quite good now, seem to have recovered, being in the middle of the country we are considerably milder than where you are so they should survive, I will try and look after them, don't know if my skills will be good enough to divide them up in 2012 though, we shall see. lol.

Stroller - Karen says Duchesse of Edinburgh is not a good specimen as it gets wilt quite easily, I have not been successful with it, but for some reason not many of my clems are that good. Odd ones are very successful others never seem to put on a good show, think it is the trees which surround us, not a lot of light, I planted three up the side of my chicken run and they are looking really good and strong, well they did this year, who knows what next year will bring. lol.

Oliveoil
dont worry too much about your heucheras provided they had good strong root systems and dont get water logged they should be fine even in a bad winter
Georgia Peach looks a bit low maybe in the soil
It makes them more prone to rot in winter
just keep an eye on it
Simple rules
1. Do NOT allow to get water logged even for a short period of time. As they rot.
2. Do NOT bury crown as its rots the crown if the weather gets wet.
3. NEVER cut the crown as this also cause rot at the base of the crown.
Tidy up in Spring afgter the worst of the weather has gone.
NO need to over feed as this weakens plants and causes bloat.
They are hardy to -20 to -25 so they should be ok in our winters.
It is hard to tell if your black beauty is black beauty but enjoy
they are wonderful plants
oo
dont forget to get Lime rickey in the shade for the summer
It will get smaller and smaller and eventually die if you dont
Enjoy
Vicky

Vicky thank you very much for your advice, they all look a bit sad at the moment but suppose they are like us all wanting some sunshine. Sorry I have been late replying but have been ill since the middle of December and only just getting back to the computer, thank you again for excellent advice. Happy New Year. - Barbara (Oliveoil)

pleased your feeling better and back onto the computor again
Your heucheras will be fine come the better weather.

Thanks Vicky yes they all look fine, we will all be better when the spring comes I am sure.

I was just wondering how you propagate Heucheras-- division or root cuttings? or another way!

Pamg - sorry I have no idea, send Vicky1 a private message she maybe will be able to help you with that question.

thanks Olive, on another blog the other day someone had bought one and divided it into 4 so maybe thats the answer