Plant Talk

Brown/Black Boredom

Are we over dark plants yet? I asked myself that yet again when I ran into the  "Cappuccino Mirror Plant" at Swanson's Nursery today. It's not only stick-like and a weird brown color, but this Coprosma repens (a new genus for me...) isn't even hardy. While they suggest pairing this sad excuse for a shrub with heucheras and phormiums, I don't think even those fab plants could make it look good.

But just when I was shaking my head over the folly of gardeners to be beguiled by anything with brown leaves, let alone named after a coffee, I rounded the corner to find a Corokia cotoneaster, the ultimate bad-hair day shrub, underplanted in black mondo grass (bottom photo).  I loved the combination! It's so simple, yet an effective contrast in textures and shapes, and the shrub's ebony stems mirror the the shiny, dark little grass....so although it was easy to pass on the cappuccino plant, I guess I'm not over the appeal of the dark palette....but still pondering  how best to use and combine these slightly mysterious-looking plants...

 

Cool New Heucheras

Every spring our gardening juices are kicked into gear by fresh, new heucheras - those frilly foliage perennials that come in so many tempting colors. Oregon breeder Terra Nova Nursery has been hard at work producing an array of new heucheras that will fill nursery tables in the coming months. Which ones are garden-worthy, and which are just eye-candy? Only time and trial will tell. A few years ago I fell in love with the new amber colored heucheras, and after trying them all out, I've found that 'Caramel' and 'Marmalade' are sturdy workhorse plants that are truly evergreen, as well as sun and disease-resistant. I've had good luck with 'Peach Flambe' and the new very dark chocolate 'Obsidian' as well. Who knows with this current crop which ones will persist through the winters and not just melt away?....they're all so beautiful it'll be fun finding out. Here are just a few glamorous heuchera, just out on the market, to whet your appetite for spring. All are ideal to grow in pots or to trim out garden beds. 

Photos courtesy of Terra Nova Nursery:

 

Heuchera 'Berry Smoothie' isn't my favorite color, but I admit the bright rose pink on such big, bold leaves is impressive. It's billed as holding its vivid color year round, heat-loving and cold-tolerant.

 Heuchera 'Electra' is a shocker, with bright golden leaves veined in red. The veins stay red through the season, while the leaves come on yellow in spring, morph to chartreuse in summer and fall, then tan over the winter.

LIme Marmalade' is a vigorous, frilly new heuchera with a similar habit to its close relative  Heuchera 'Marmalade'. Its leaves are larger than the popular 'Lime Rickey' - and if they hold that lively color all season this one is sure to be popular.