Happy Monday GPODers!
About a month ago, we were treated to photos from Adriana Porter Felt’s garden in Berkeley, California for the first time (Check out that post here: Adriana’s Pride of Madeira in Spring). At that point in the season, she was singing the praises of her incredible pride of Madeira blooms (Echium candicans, Zones 9–11). Now, she is sharing another plant that provides spectacular spires of flowers in the season, this one planted in mass to create a dramatic burst of blooms along one of her garden paths. And if you’d like to see even more of Adriana’s beautiful garden, check her out on Instagram: @adriana_digs_holes.
Hi GPOD,
I planted a drift of ‘Rosada’ heuchera (Heuchera ‘Rosada’, Zones 8–10) two winters ago. The scale of the drift—two plants wide by nine long—makes for a dramatic and long-lasting spring display. They bloom from late March through late May. The blooms start lighter and get darker pink as they age.
I first learned about planting in drifts from Fine Gardening (Give Your Garden Mass Appeal), and it was a great tip. The singletons that I’ve planted elsewhere don’t look nearly as impressive. However, it was surprisingly difficult to get 18 of the same plant. Most local shops only have 4-8 of the same plant at a time. I hunted around until I found a nursery that does both wholesale and customer sales of 4″ pots. I’m glad I was able to find them.
‘Rosada’ heuchera is a hybrid of two native California plants, and it seems to be happy in my garden in the Berkeley hills. The drift is placed near the north side of the house so it gets full shade in winter, part sun in spring and fall, and full sun at the peak of summer. It needs supplemental irrigation for the hottest part of summer but it pulls through. It’s hard to find plants for garden beds on the north sides of homes.
Adriana (@adriana_digs_holes on IG)
I also attached a “before” photo from when I first purchased the home. I improved the soil health with compost and mulch, and then planted my garden.
While both pride of Madeira and heuchera produce spires of beautiful blooms, the forms and textures couldn’t be more different. Heuchera spires have that “see-through” affect, being so thin and sparse that the flowers of a single plant can blend into surrounding plantings. Creating these larger drifts, however, allows the small flowers to create a bigger impact.
A closer look reveals the various shades of pink in each small flower.
And this close-up shot really showcases that “see-through” quality.
And one final view of that fluffy cloud of pink that Adriana’s heucheras create along her brick path. Her black and white cat makes for an adorable model in this garden scene.
Thank you so much for sharing another garden highlight with us, Adriana! It’s obvious that you have a great eye for stunning plants, and your photos demonstrate a real love and appreciation for these beautiful specimens.
What are some of your favorite plants to bloom in spring? If I know the GPOD community, I’m sure you have a camera roll full of photos of that plant at its peak. Before spring slips away from us, consider sharing your favorite spring plants with Garden Photo of the Day! Follow the directions below to submit photos via email, or send me a DM on Instagram: @agirlherdogandtheroad.
We want to see YOUR garden!
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5–10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!
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