They need acidic soil in order to do well (usually they like a pH of 6.5 or higher). If you don't have acid soil, they won't do well.

I looked into heaths and heathers last year and determined they'd be a pain for me to keep up. They also like pretty destroyed soil as well and sandy, I think. Maybe if you're in new construction where the yard was filled with construction-grade dirt or something along those lines. I live in the Milwaukee area in an older neighborhood and have great old dirt. I have to feed acid to a couple plants already and decided 'the heck with it' and gave up on the idea of bringing the Scottish Highlands to my backyard.

I have the ideal soil for heaths and heathers--acid sandy soil, BUT I do not have the ideal climate. These plants really want maritime climates--winters are too cold, dry and windy here. The folks at one of the major heaths and heathers nursery (might be called Rock Spray--I really don't remember)on Cape Cod recommended covering them with remay or something over the winter. Seems to miss the whole point of growing them, especially those that bloom in winter. I have two plants left hanging on of the 7 or so that I tried. They are so lovely, but they're not for my climate. Probably not for yours either.

I have quite a number of Heaths/Heathers planted. They are in clay and neutral soil at 6.8. This is their 3rd winter. Lost a few of them the first winter and there is one I am still watching but I think it will make it this winter also and take off this spring finally. So I must have 20 varieties in my Heather hill. Since I don't have acid soil I bought the types that can be planted in alkaline which are some of the Heaths.

Got mine at heathsandheathers.com which lists categories and what soil types they will grow in. They advised me to do that rather than constantly trying to keep my soil amended. Since I am of the feeling that it needs to survive in clay at 6.8 that worked for me.

I absolutely love them.
Cher

Fifty years ago I had a friend who owned a wholesale nursery specializing in Heaths and Heathers. I asked him the secret of their culture. He explained they were easy to grow but required you grow them in the right place. The northern California coast was ideal. Al

I had a bunch of heathers and a couple of heaths in a garden at a previous house. I also got mine from Rock Spray Nursery and let them know that I wanted short ones (to stay below snow cover during the coldest part of the winter), a variety of foliage color, and hardy to zone 4, and then let them choose. They all did great for the 6 or so years that I lived in that house. They were planted in a bed of well-drained, moist, highly organic acid soil mulched with rock chips (native granite.) Low maintenance and good looking for the months that they were visible (most everything but trees disappear under snow around here in the depths of winter.) I especially enjoyed having some with brightly colored foliage during the cold weather that we have both before and after snow cover when it's usually mostly just brown.

Rock Spray has been sold since I bought mine and so I couldn't recommend it with its current owners since I have no knowledge of how it is.

Maybe NH is a place where heathers can thrive because I also had a number of heathers at my previous home and they did very well. They spread nicely and survived every winter. I also had them in a very rich, well-drained soil in full sun. They were mulched with bark mulch. I never did anything for winter protection but we usually do have a snow cover throughout the winter. Heather definitely performed much better than heath for me.

sounds to me.. that the bottom line.. and my presumption for a long time..

is they really are not z5 appropriate ... but for the supremely perfect micro climate ...

they are weeds in great britian ... and they are way north of us ... but because of the north atlantic drift.. parts are z9 ... their winter.. is NOTHING like ours in the midwest.. because of the drifting warm waters around the island ...

you are really pushing it.. thinking about these.. its obvious there are some successful peeps.. but i would suggest those are the exception .... not the rule ...

putting down the mail order catalog with their suspect zone claims.. tell me how many times you have seen these for sale at local nurseries ... i will bet.. never.. or once ... that should tell you the local pro's are not willing to invest heavily in the odds..

ken

I agree with your sentiments, Ken. I had never even heard of these in my zone, and probably for good reason. Darn.

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Do you have sandy lake soil or something else? I've wondered about this issue myself, thinking that because I'm very near the lake and have extremely well-draining soil, along with mostly cooler summers than my neighbors even a mile farther inland, I might have half a chance of keeping a heath or heather alive. I was just Googling around and noticed there's a "Northeast Heath and Heather Society" out of New Jersey, with a list of heather gardens (one in Ohio), and an old Gardenweb thread on the Great Lakes forum reported a couple of people in Michigan managing to keep a few alive by having fantastic drainage. It seems winter wetness and summer heat are both killers. So maybe if you have sandy soil PLUS a gravel bed, maybe, just maybe. I think I decided not to try them because I envisioned a combination of hard work and heartbreak.

Ken & Kim -
I think for you in the midwest, it's less about the hardiness (I get periodic winters where it hits -22F and between -15 and -20 is common) than about having the right soil. Midwestern soils tend to have more clay and be less acidic than those of us on the coasts. Many heathers and a few heaths are hardy for me in NH, but I wouldn't try to grow them where I grew up in northern Ohio.

Babs

I have several varieties of Erica x darleyensis that I bought from heathsandheathers.com about ten years ago. They are doing good in my clay soil.

Frank

I personally don't grow them but they were particularly fashionable here a few years ago along with dwarf conifers. Many flower in the winter and I see quite a few in full bloom on my way to work, even now in a cold (for us) January. Not all heathers need acid soils. Vairieties of Erica carnea are particularly easy-going. The link might be useful.

Here is a link that might be useful: heathers

The wholesale nursery I used to work for is a major grower of heaths and heathers in this area and we sold regularly to nurseries and garden centers in the eastern half of the state, most of which is zone 4 and 5. Cold hardiness should not be an issue - Calluna vulgaris (heather) and Erica carnea (heath) are listed as fully hardy to zone 4 or -30F and can be grown in zone 3 with a good snow cover or with a winter mulch.

Soil conditions may be more limiting......these plants prefer a slightly to moderately acidic soil that offers good drainage (very important) and is organically rich. They will need regular irrigation during their first couple of seasons in the ground - in fact, allowing them to dry out at all during this period could spell failure. But once well-established, these plants are quite drought tolerant.

If your soil is less than ideal, then Erica x darleyensis is much more forgiving. Still would like good drainage and the same watering attention but far more flexible with regards to soil pH. But you give up some hardiness issues - this is better only to zone 5.

Heaths&heathers is perhaps the largest online nursery for these plants - they certainly grow the largest selection of species and cultivars. And they have various listings of heaths and heathers that are best for specific locations and soil conditions. Ideally, you give them your requirements and they will put together a customized collection specifically for you and your area. I've visited the nursery several times (they are located close by) as well as at garden shows and sales and Karla (owner) and staff are immensely knowledgeable and helpful.

I would not discount growing heaths or heathers anywhere in the upper midwest.....these are tough, versatile plants that offer a lot of possibilities. You just have to find the right ones to work for you.

Here is a link that might be useful: Heathsandheathers.com