Each winter, as most perennials are cut back lying dormant
before spring, these ground-hugging shrubs take center stage as
their foliage burst into dramatic colors that always seems to
stop visitors along the main path of the Soest Garden. Planting
these in rockeries in blazing full sun helps to enhance the
coloration so they are exceptional evergreen plants for
difficult places. Several cultivars have spectacular spring new
growth and are often pruned in the fall to enhance this show
come spring. Heathers are very hardy and quite long lived
requiring very little maintenance once established. They benefit
from regular annual pruning in the fall or early spring to keep
them going strong. In the landscape, they are best planted in
masses to truly appreciate their color and impact. Combining
them with perennials can be challenging, but not impossible.
Several blue spring blooming bulbs such as Crocus, Muscari,
Camassia, and Scilla growing through the dwarf, compact
varieties would be a spectacular contrast. Cult