Last year at the ‘Gardening Scotland 2006’ show I was drawn to the displays of heucheras. The newer varieties had such unusual colours and wonderful names. I wonder how the nurserymen choose names for new plants. Marmalade was the name of one of the varieties I came home with that day and today I went out into my garden to spread it around a little more!
Sunlight through the leaves looks wonderful as you can see above and you could almost see it as a jar of marmalade. However, today it was dull as I gardened under the threat of rain at times and my photos below don’t truely reflect the lovely colours of this plant.
My intention today was to divide my heuchera to increase my stock of this lovely plant. I have successfully done this with other heucheras many times. My plant was a good size as you can see in the photo top right above. Although sometimes when you lift the plant the roots are bunched quite tightly as you can see in the larger photo above, left.
My plant did put up a fight! It was tricky to pull apart, but I finished what I had started and got six plants out of it. Now, I have to say here this may not be completely successful this time as some plants didn’t have a lot of root – although two should definitely be fine. I am forever an optimist when it comes to making new plants and enjoy trying anyway.
I took photos of some of the plants that caught my eye at the show which you can see below. As well as Marmalade I bought the beautiful dark Obsidian. I am not certain, until I find the labels, but I think I also bought Caramel and Peach Flambé. The final four plants are on my wish list – now what gardener wouldn’t be tempted by these plants!
The photos of dividing Heuchera Marmalade were taken in my garden on November 6th 2007.
I love the colors of heuchera. When I searched for what I might want some day I also was attracted to he more orange bronze colors like creme brule and amber waves. I hope your heuchera you divided will make it. It would be sad to lose a part of those.
I have the old variety of huchera, purple palace, or something like that. Anyway I can divide that thing move it anyplace and it grows for me.
The newer fancy heuchera that I would just love to have won’t grow. I get so frustrated. I tried Lime Rickey twice and it didn’t make it through the summer.
I guess what I am saying is that I am haveing heuchera envy looking at your photos.
Hi again, Vanillalotus and Lisa 🙂
Vanillalotus – The orange/bronze colours were what drew me to the stand! Although I took photos of the others it is only now that I am appreciating them too. I have to say I am pretty ruthless with the handling of my plants and on the whole most do survive. However I could possibly lose a couple of my new plants. We will just have to wait and see now 🙂
Lisa – Palace Purple really helped launch heucheras into popularity. My original heuchera, Stormy Seas, is quite similar and yes it too divides easily. I am new to the fancier varieties and after my division of Marmalade yesterday I decided to leave the others alone to see how this one goes. My heucheras never get fun sun, it is always dappled. Is it perhaps too hot and sunny in your garden for Lime Rickey or does your soil get too dry? I’ll be happy to share my plants through photos and perhaps the odd video – they featured at the end of my GBBD post for August 🙂
I’ve also started to collect heucheras, as I like their special coloures leaves. There are some sorts in my garden too. You encouraged me to divide the plants (which I haven’t done up to now) and to get more of them. But I do not dare to do it now, as it is too cold now and probably the roots won’t grow anymore in the wet clay soil. So, this will be another gardenwork for the coming Spring…
Hi again, Barbara 🙂
It seems we have similar tastes in plants 😀
I don’t have summer displays of bedding in my borders but instead I like to shuffle my plants around so that is why I am always keen to increase my stock of favourite plants. I perhaps shouldn’t have divided my plant now but as the soil is still warm I thought I would take the chance. Spring would be a better time to do this agreed but sometimes when I get a notion I just go for it anyway. I have always gardened like this 😀
Good luck with your heuchera division in Spring it is a great way to get more plants quite quickly. Having wet clay soil I would agree that is a much better time to do this – my soil is quite different being light and naturally free draining.