New Interest in Old-Fashioned Coral Bells

“Ring out, wild bells…. Ring out the old, ring in the new” (Tennyson, 1850). 

In this new summer season which lies ahead, let's marvel at all the new plants that are available to us. But pay close attention to the old-fashioned beauties that have graced gardens for ages. Some classic and very attractive perennials, such as Coral Bells, have charmed gardeners for as long as can be remembered. 

Heuchera, or Coral Bells, are beautiful plants. Most gardeners love them for their scalloped foliage which sports colors from expected green to very unexpected orange, red, plum and even darker. Many love them for their dainty bell-shaped blooms which appear in white, cream, peach, pink…. I love them for both their foliage and their flowers, and for the fact that they are easy to grow despite their very special looks.

Care Requirements

“Easy to grow” is an understatement, considering that Coral Bells fare beautifully in some of the areas that are too shady for other plants. Strong and unfussy, they settle in and make the best of things. But in spots where Ferns and Hostas do well, in sun for part of the day and shade for the balance, Coral Bells truly thrive. They need consistent moisture but will not dry out too rapidly if some days are warmer and dryer than might be considered optimal. 

While the blooms on Coral Bells are petite as can be, they appear in great enough number to be visible. I love seeing them at the desirable Golden Hour, when setting sun peeks through the foliage of surrounding plants and highlights them, dainty and lacy, in a rose-gold glow. 

In Containers

Recently, there has been an interest in using perennial Coral Bells in container displays. While container displays are typically the sites in which annuals are planted, Coral Bells have enough vibrant color and textural interest by way of bloom-bells and scalloped foliage to make them a great addition to large mixed pots of plants. Nestle them into a wide and tall pedestal container with Calibrachoa and other mounding and trailing plants, and you’ll be pleased with the look. Coral Bells plants appreciate moist and rich soil, as most container plants do, and so they do well all summer with these container-mates that have similar needs. Come autumn, Coral Bells can be overwintered as houseplants (in smaller pots, of course), or dug into the ground to add to perennial beds. 

In Garden Beds

Coral Bells can be enjoyed as singular plants or multiples, but I tend to think that the best in-ground displays utilize three or more plants, planted in a nice grouping. Odd-number groupings, given enough space between plants to ensure root-room and comfort, seem always to please the eye. Planting in such a manner gives a full and near-mature look quite rapidly... good for all of us who have relatively quick-passing summer seasons and, thus, can't wait forever, so to speak. And with some of the Coral Bells varieties exhibiting color changes to their foliage when the temperature drops, the visual display takes on different looks across the weeks and months. In coldest winter in places where snow and ice are common, the foliage of Coral Bells will freeze and drop to the ground, leaving no trace of the plants that were visible in summer. But return, these perennials will. Ring out, they will… plants with old-fashioned sensibility, adding new interest to the garden and garden containers.