In recent years what seems like floods of heucheras have appeared in
nurseries. These fine foliage plants for the front of the border and
for containers provide colour in a wide range of unique shades. Many
are good, a few, it has to be said are, not good at all - and a few are
simply superb.

After the initial torrent, I think gardeners
became a little jaded but a new series from France has fired up
everyone's enthusiasm again. And many featured on the stand from Plantagogo.
This is perhaps not a name which endears itself to RHS traditionalists,
but as the plants look so good here at the Show I'm sure even the
stuffiest of old-timers will be tempted? And on their exhibit two
impressive new introductions from two of the world's leading creators
of new Heuchera varieties caught my eye.
From France's
Thierry Delabroye comes ‘Tiramisu', a variety in the new style which as
foliage plant enthusiasts - and everyone else - talking. The prettily
lobed foliage opens in chartreuse yellow with a light network of brick
red veins. Then as the season develops the red colouring fades and the
foliage takes on an overlay of silver. Finally, in the autumn, those
brick red tones reappear.
Unlike many varieties, those from
Thierry Delabroye including the yellow ‘Citronelle', chocolatey
‘Mocha', coppery ‘Caramel' and ‘Pistache' in pistachio green, have
blood of Heuchera villosa which brings two great benefits:
genuine reliance to weather of all kinds and, as the plants mature,
increasingly large leaves which can be up to 15cm across.
Also on the Plantagogo
stand, from Dan Heims of Oregon, and so new it's not in the RHS Plant
Finder and never before seen in Britain, is ‘Blackberry Jam',
in
silvery mauve with charcoal veins and blackberry undersides to the
leaves. (Note that both these creators of new heucheras give their
plants foodie names!)
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