Heucheras

Figure I

When it comes to planting, coral bells love a good soil with lots of organic matter blended in. Never bury the crown in the soil when you plant since that will smother the plant. Allow a bit of stem to peek above ground. Cuttings are even faster to plant. Just plunge a shovel in the ground, pull back the soil, push the cutting into the ground, and pack the soil around the plant. Once you get the cutting in the soil, give it a good soaking and you're done.

Figure K

Extra nutrients give the foliage a deeper, darker color. In this picture of side-by-side 'Purple Petticoats', the one on the right received no fertilizer, but the same variety on the left got a regular dose of timed fertilizer.

Figure L

Don't discount the value of this plant's tiny flowers. After all, good things can come in small packages. "One thing that's great about Heuchera is the bell-like flowers, and these attract bees, butterflies and a lot of hummingbirds," says Heims.

Figure M

Heucheras aren't the only plant Heims is hard at work breeding, he's also cross-breeding them with foamflowers (Tiarella) to create lovely new plants called heucherellas. So whether it's coral bells, foamflowers, or even heucherellas, this vast and wonderful family of plants can add contrast, color and year-round interest to any garden.

And if the landscape in your yard is full, coral bells make great container plants because they don't have aggressive root systems. So go ahead and incorporate the hues of Heuchera into the coldest of climates; just bring the containers indoors during the winter.