A passion for heathers - includes list of easy-to-grow heathers

Sunset, August, 1996 by Lauren Bonar Swezey

More than 200 kinds thrive in this garden near Mendocino, California

It all began 10 years ago when Jim Thompson and his wife attended a rhododendron show in Oregon. Heathers were offered at the plant sale, and knowing nothing about them, he purchased a few plants to bring home. "I soon discovered that our growing conditions are ideal for heathers," says Thompson. "They thrive in cool, moist air, well-drained, acid soil, and sun."

Now, Thompson's garden is a show-place of summer-blooming heathers, which include numerous kinds of Calluna, Daboecia, and Erica. The velvety tapestry of colors and textures covers more than half of his 1/2-acre front yard in Manchester, California, 30 miles south of Mendocino.

To give his flat lot the more visually interesting look of undulating hills, and to better set off the heathers, Thompson built up mounds of soil and planted the heathers on top. Ten to twelve plants of each variety are grouped together, and the various groups are mixed and matched by foliage and flower color.

Thompson buys just one plant of each kind, then takes stem cuttings to increase his collection. He usually takes the cuttings in late summer, sets them in an outdoor rooting bed filled with a mixture of half sand and half peat, and shades them with lattice. Six to eight weeks later, he moves the rooted cuttings to a box filled with potting soil that sits in full sun. Next fall, they're ready to go in the ground.

CARING FOR HEATHERS

Since heathers thrive in poor soil - and Thompson's soil is sandy - compost alone nourishes his plants; it's mixed into the soil at planting time. (Add peat to alkaline soil to increase acidity.)

When transplanting heathers, Thompson avoids disturbing the roots too much. After knocking the plants out of nursery cans, he scores only the bottom and shoulders of the rootballs.

Heathers don't demand much water or fertilizer, but they need to be kept moist the first year. After that, Thompson waters his plants only once every three weeks. Even in warmer climates, heathers don't need much water, especially in loamy soils.

In fall after blooms fade, Thompson uses a hedge trimmer to clean off the old blooms, removing very little foliage.

RELATED ARTICLE: THOMPSON'S FAVORITE HEATHERS

The following 12 heathers have attractive foliage and flowers, transplant easily, and are not difficult to grow. Unless noted, all are summer bloomers. (Thompson is too humble to recommend a 13th favorite - Calluna vulgaris 'Forty-Niner Gold'. This gold-foliaged sport, which he found growing on one of his C. v. 'Long White' plants, is the only heather from the United States that's registered with the Heather Society in Great Britain.)

Calluna vulgaris 'County Wicklow': pink double flowers, 10 inches tall by 12 inches wide. "Should be in every heather garden," says Thompson.

C. v. 'Cuprea': lavender, coppery foliage, 18 inches by 18 inches.

C. v. 'Kinlochruel': white double flowers, 10-inch compact mound. "The best double white."

C. v. 'Peter Sparkes': rose-pink double flowers, 18 inches by 18 inches.

C. v. 'Silver Queen': pinkish lavender, woolly silvery foliage, 18 inches by 18 inches. "Contrast with deep green- or gold-leafed varieties."

Daboecia cantabrica 'Cinderella': white with blush of 'pink, gray-green foliage, 18 inches by 18 inches. "A gold-medal winner in the Netherlands."

Erica carnea 'Vivellii': carmine-red late winter to spring, bronze foliage in winter, 6-inch by 18-inch spreading mat.

E. ciliaris 'Mrs. C. H. Gill': crimson, 18 inches by 18 inches. "Covered with flowers."

E. cinerea 'C. D. Eason': magenta, dark green foliage, 12 inches by 15 inches.

E. c. 'Eden Valley': lavender and white, plant grows 10 inches by 15 inches. "Very floriferous."

E. c. 'Golden Drop': amethyst, coppery gold foliage during summer, reddish in winter, 6 inches by 12 inches.

E. vagans 'Mrs. D. F. Maxwell': cerise, 18 inches by 20 inches. "Indispensable for summer color."

THOMPSON'S FAVORITE MAIL- ORDER SOURCES

If you can't find the heather varieties you want at a nursery, try one of these two sources (both offer free lists; send a self-addressed, stamped envelope).

Heather Heaven, Box 71, Fortuna, CA 95540; (707) 725-6384.

Heaths and Heathers, E. 502 Haskell Hill Rd., Shelton, WA 98584; (360) 427-5318.