thanks! I haven't really started searching the heuchera yet but ill keep that in mind.

And yea some of those hosta fans are a great wealth of info but i am not trying to build an arboretum, i just want some nice plants in my backyard. I am sure my $1 plants wont look as great as some others but I will take the chance :) ps- how far apart would you recommend spacing on Patriot and Francee? I want to make one row of patriot in the front yard and one row of Francee in the back yard, I want them close to each other but don't want to crowd them.

Heuchera can be frustrating plants. I've had them crown rot when it was too wet in winter. I've had them melt away in the summer heat. I've also had them eaten into nothingness by beetles. Among the ones I've tried and had the best success with in my yard have Villosa and/or Americana in their parentage.

The hardiest for me have been: 'Dale's Strain', 'Caramel', 'Brownies', and 'Citronelle'. None of these are the showiest out there but they seem to take abuse and come back stronger every year. 'Dale's Strain' is a prolific seeder that will give you hundreds of seedlings that are fairly true to their parent.

I have one Patriot that's 3 feet across after 6 years. I also have one that's 12 inches across and 2 others that are tiny. Hard to predict what it's final size will be for you or if it will survive. I think the combination of hot, humid summers and a mild winter is a tough combo for many Hostas. That might honestly be an even bigger reason to at least start with $1 bargain plants while you figure out what works best in your yard.

Is there a botanical garden near you with Hostas and/or Heuchera. I've visited the SC Botanical Garden near me in Clemson and it has been helpful for me because I can see what is doing well in my climate.

I know of one garden around us. I have only been in spring and fall and usually looking at the big showy displays they put on. Ill have to make a trip!

Are there any better recommendations for a popular variety of true red ? I do not like the purples/browns at all. Not that i don't like them, they would just blend too much in this area. I suppose i can do a true purple but I really want a good red. I see a lot online but some of the reds look orange and I am sure they are not all the exact same even in their species, but if yall have any ones to try id appreciate it. I am putting these next to some bright light green hostas and endless summer hydrangeas. The hostas are about the same as the Citronelle Heuchera, so I dont want two of the same color next to each other. I think any green may be too much green so I figured a color would be nice. And something that wont clash with either pink or blue hydrangeas is most important.

I would look at 'Autumn Leaves', 'Cherry Cola' and 'Fire Chief'. These are all red-orange in color and have a lot of villosa in their parentage and are recommended for southern gardens.

One of the largest heuchera hybridizers in the country has an excellent website with photos for you to review, as well as detailed info about the specific plants. Definitely worth checking out for various possibilities: Terra Nova

I love Autumn Leaves I just worry about it looking to fall-like during the spring blooms of hydrangeas all around it. But that doesn't mean another part of the yard may get autumn leaves! haha

I think i may have found a nice one.. Berry Smoothie ! ?

Are there any good sources that sell both heuchera and astilbe ? Id like to combine shipping if possible.

Most of the brighter red ones I've tried seem to melt in hot, humid conditions. I put 2 Fire Chief plants in my mom's yard and neither survived the summer. Terra Nova is located in the PNW and their plants don't always do well in the heat and humidity of the Southeast.

Two other ones that have done well for me are 'Carnival Black Olive' and 'Carnival Silver Streak'. I had a 'Carnival Plum Crazy' that I bought early last August that survived through the heat and last winter. It looked great this year until the beetles hit and ate all the leaves.

The beetles in my area seem to prefer red leaved Heuchera for some unknown reason. I have the dates they appeared on a reminder calendar for next year (Oriental beetles 2nd week of June and Japanese beetles in early July). I'll likely cover their favorite plants with cages for a few weeks next year.

The 'Caramel' I mentioned in the earlier post has a variety of leaf colors and might look good in the location you mentioned between light green hostas and hydrangeas. The leaves start out a gold color and gradually fade to a peachy color. The undersides of the leaves are more of a red.

Have you had any experience with Berry Smoothie ? I'll look up your other suggestions too. I'm just worried about clashing with the pretty blue in the hydrangea and a lot of heuchera I found turn darker colors in the summer and with most shade and brown mulch.. it may just blend in too much for me.

I haven't tried that one. I've gotten frustrated with losing Heuchera. To be honest, if I hadn't had a few varieties that have been really hardy, I would have given up on them entirely. I can try to take a few pictures tomorrow to show how the ones I mentioned mix with Hostas and brown mulch in shade. Brownies does blend in with the mulch a bit. It shows well in an area where I've got river rock as a mulch for drainage.

There isn't much good shade loving low cover that has color in it.

That'd be great whitewater. Also can you let me see what the Dales Strain looks like?

Have you considered Japanese Painted Fern? That has some color and the texture of the foliage would also contrast Hostas and Hydrangeas.

Some of the more colorful selections of Colocasia might also be worth consideration.

Here are some pictures of Hostas and Heuchera.

Heuchera 'Dale's Strain' on left, Hosta 'August Moon' center, and Heuchera 'Brownies' on the right. Heuchera 'Brownies' is a young plant, which will probably fill in more over time.

Japanese Painted Fern front left, Hosta 'Stained Glass' front center, Heuchera 'Black Olive' right front. The Heuchera gets a fair amount of sun in that spot and started to look ragged in late August. Behind them is a row of seedling plants. Back row is Hosta 'August Moon' on left, Heuchera 'Dale's Strain' center, and Hosta 'Aphrodite' on the right.

There is a row of variegated liriope in the very front. Behind that, Heuchera 'Dale's Strain' front right. Hosta 'Vulcan' left of that, Japanese Painted Fern to the left of that. Another Hosta 'August Moon' behind the 'Vulcan'.

Hosta 'Cathedral Windows' front left (small because recently planted), Heuchera 'Dale's Strain' front center, Hosta 'First Frost' front right (also a recent plant). Hosta 'Guacamole' back center. There is a tiny Heuchera 'Brownies' right of that. Hosta 'Honeybells' on the far right looks limp because it was just planted in that spot.

Bottom is Japanese Painted Fern, middle is Hosta 'Stained Glass', top is Heuchera 'Dale's Strain'. Very top right is Hosta 'Irongate Glamour' which has flopped over after being moved.

Front row is Hosta 'June' on the left, Japanese Painted Fern center, and a Hellebore seedling on the right. Back row is Heuchera 'Carnival Silver Streak' (was munched to the ground be beetles in June but bounced back quickly), Hosta 'Fire Island' center (starts bright yellow and greens up later in summer), and Hosta 'Irongate Glamour' on the right (same plant floppy from transplant). In the very back left is Hosta 'Royal Standard'

Front right is an unidentified hosta ('Wide Brim'?). Front left is Heuchera 'Caramel' that got munched to nothing by beetles in July but it's slowly coming back. I had some other varieties of Heucheras that died after the beetles attacked. Behind that is a small Heuchera 'Dale's Strain' on the far left. An unidentified Hosta is right of that which was blue in the spring but greened up over the summer. Right of that is Heuchera 'Kassandra'. Right of that is another Hosta (Francee?).

Heuchera 'Dale's Strain' in front of an Encore Azalea. This Heuchera has been here about 4 years and is now over 2 feet wide. The 'Dale's Strain' plants are all either divisions or seedlings that came from 2 plants I bought 10 years ago at our previous house.

Hosta 'Wide Brim' left, Astilbe center, and Hosta 'Patriot' on the right. This is my bigger 'Patriot'. It looks rough from rabbits eating on it all summer but is a strong plant. I have several others of this variety that are much smaller despite being a similar age.

Hosta 'Fragrant Dream' (?) on the left. It looked great until I moved it last week and but has now flopped over and has some yellowing leaves. To the right of that is a tiny Heuchera 'Brownies' division. Right of that is Hosta 'Fragrant Blue' which is a new plant that's still small. Behind those in the center is Hosta 'June', right of that is a small Heuchera 'Dale's Strain', and Hosta 'Honeybells' on the far right.

I do not know the name of the Heuchera, but this combi with Hosta Mourning Dove and Prairie Moon was one of the most beautiful sights in my garden this year...

Got a few new hostas for that corner yesterday, a big Niagara Falls and Reptilian

Looking at that picture I think a Mega Caramel between the green hostas should do a good job...

I'm jealous! Your plants still look happy. Between the beetle attack in late June / early July on my Heuchera and the heat in late August, a lot of my garden looks very tired right now.

No need to be jealous. Only the potted ones look still good. Those in the garden are in full fall modus...The thought that we have to wait nearly six months until they grow again is nearly unbearable...I got so many this year and can't wait to watch them from spring to fall next year.

Whitewater.. message me if you can. I can't figure out how to. I am looking at some of your plants on your trade list.

I haven't updated that list since the spring. About the only thing I have for trade right now is some 1 quart Heuchera seedlings that came from 'Dale's Strain'. I could probably divide some other plants if I had the time, though.

Are you willing sell ? I have family in your area but I just have no plants to trade

I could give you some of the Heuchera if you want a few. I also have tons of seeds I've collected that you could have to start some as well.

I stuffed a couple of plants and some seeds into a priority mail envelope I sent to someone earlier in the year and both seemed to survive pretty well even in the summer heat. The recipient has posted pictures of both the plants and the seedlings she has sprouted in a thread below here.

Yea rhat would be great. Let me know how you want to do it. How long do seeds take to sprout ? I'll look for the post your talking about too.

I can't figure out how to message you, if you want to message me your email I will send my address..

And would you happen to have any Jack Frost seeds too?? That and Dales Strain are my two I want to find this fall/winter.

Latley, I know this a heuchera topic but since your close by and I've noticed many painted ferns.. I read so where that painted ferns won't do well on the coast for me.. any experience or have you heard of anyone on the coast able to grow them, or why not? I love your pictures