Heuchera book

Discuss and share pictures of plants in the genus Heuchera and the hybrid genus Heucherella, commonly known as coral bells and foamy bells.
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janet
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Heuchera book

Post by janet »

Heucheras and Heucherellas: Coral Bells and Foamy Bells by Dan Heims and Grahame Ware, Timber Press, 2005

Does anyone have this book, and if so, what do you think of it? Is it worth owning? I know Dan Heims is THE heuchera guru and there is a pretty good review of the book in the new issue of Horticulture Magazine, but does anyone have a personal opinion of it? Thanks. :D
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Chris_W
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Post by Chris_W »

I've been meaning to at least look it over, but have been undecided about buying it. However, since we sell books I can get them cheaply from Timber Press, just would have to buy multiple copies.

My first concern is that the pictures of the Terra Nova plants are never very representative of what the plants really look like. They are always that one in a million picture and we will probably never see another plant look like that in real life. For years I was concerned that our coral bells just didn't grow as well here in Michigan as they must in Oregon after seeing their pictures. But after visiting them last month I realized that the plants in their display gardens look identical to ours. It was encouraging to see.

My other concern is that a book on coral bells written by someone who sells, introduces, and patents their own coral bells may be far too biased about their own plants to write truthfully about them. However, they may also be one of the most knowledgable about them if they can set any bias aside.

So like I said, I've been thinking about it, just haven't had the chance to get one yet. Hmm, maybe this would be something good to ask for as a Christmas present :snow:
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janet
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Post by janet »

I was wondering about the bias angle, too, Chris. At best, it could be a great book (after all, Mark Zilis introduces and sells hosta and he stayed fairly impartial to my knowledge). At worst, it could just be a very pricey Terra Nova catalog. I heard one report that it actually had more heucherella info than heuchera info, which greatly decreases it's value to me. I have not been able to successfully overwinter any heucherella at all, and will likely stop trying...or not. :wink:
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kHT
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Post by kHT »

Shaking my head here, isn't that the name of the game to put your best photo out there so folks will buy your product? Marketing 101 is what I call it and TNN plays the game better than most when it comes to their photos. A goal that is reachable if and that's a big if in my book you understand the environmental changes that we see in different zones, take in consideration the types of soils and yes Mother Nature. I would hit the local bookstore to check it out as I don't judge a book by the cover or photos. :oops:
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Post by Hapygdnr »

I was wondering about that one too.. Another thing you might do is ask your library to get a copy. That's my plan. Our library here is very cooperative. I've done that before, so I can really have a good look at it, w/o being rushed in the bookstore.
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Post by Chris_W »

I agree, I'll hit the local book store to see it in person before I order it. Janet, if you decide you want it let me know and I can get a good wholesale discount on a copy for you.

About the pictures, I believe one must walk a fine line between good marketing and false advertising when publishing catalogs. If the plant will never look that way in the majority (or any) garden, then it is false advertising to put in a totally unrealistic picture. Like I said, I always thought that the growing conditions in Oregon must be very different from those in Michigan, but no, the actual plants at TNN looked identical in person to those growing here. Actually, some may have even looked better here, which was a pleasant surprise.

Their latest catalog does seem to have more true to life pictures and fewer staged shots, so I think they are getting better about it.
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kHT
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Post by kHT »

Chris, I have a hard time when I show photos of what I can do and folks expect their to be the same. Sometimes it's just the gardener that has the problems also? There are a lot of variables when it comes to gardening and one must be realistic in what they grow? When I look at a catalog I also have my sunset book and know what can and can't grow where. Just part of the education any gardener should do? :oops: Climbing off my soap box now.
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Post by rosemarie »

Janet, I have 'Heucheras and Heucherellas'. I bought it mostly cause it was the only one I could find and I wanted to find out as much about them as I could. I enjoy the book, it has alot of info in it. But there is a new one coming out, 'Heucheras', by Charles Oliver and Martha OLiver. I am going to pre-order it on Amazon.com. You can get a look at the book there. I didn't have much time to work in my garden last year and it is kind of sad looking. I am going to remedy that this spring, hopefully. :roll:
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janet
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Post by janet »

Thanks all. I think I'll wait until the Oliver book comes out and then compare the two of them side by side. Thanks for the advance notice of the new book, Rosemarie! :wink: Chris, thanks for the offer. That sounds great and I may just take you up on it at a later date. :D Jeanne, the library is a wonderful idea, but ours is so very tiny that it would most likely be a huge hardship for them to get their hands on a copy of anything published in the last 50 years or so. :roll: Again, thank you, one and all. I feel certain that there will be many more heuchera in my future!
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Post by Kent »

I'm glad to hear the Oliver's have a book on the way. I went to hear Martha Oliver speak at Hosta College a few years back and she was brilliant!!! I would have enjoyed the lecture more but Chris & Brian were sitting next to me and Brian kept shooting spit balls at me :lol:

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Post by LucyGoose »

Kent wrote: I would have enjoyed the lecture more but Chris & Brian were sitting next to me and Brian kept shooting spit balls at me :lol: Kent
:lol: Sounds just like our Brian!! I bet it was fun, though Kent! :lol:

Hey, guess who I get to hear speak next month? Dan Heims....Yep, his lecture is called, *Shade Gardening with New Perennials* One of our nursery's here is sponsoring it.....I can't wait....which reminds me I best call. Seating is limited. Lets hope my back is better by then, too....His book Heucheras and Heucherellas will be there of course and he will be signing it....
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kHT
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Post by kHT »

LG, I got the notice from TNN and if you go let me know!
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Post by Patrushka »

LG, I never received my postcard. :(
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Chuckrkc
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Good book

Post by Chuckrkc »

I look forward to the Oliver book.

The Heims book is very worthwhile.

If you like heucheras, how can you not want to read the book by the driving force behind the current popularity of the plant? The book acknowledges other heuchera breeders and tells their stories briefly. It also outlines Terra Nova's beginnings. You get suggestions about which heucheras are better for shadier areas and other details. There is a long list of cultivars with specific information about each (Terra Nova and others). It also provides a short discussion on propagating. The book is not a long one but it has a lot of information.

Someone complains because the pictures might be too beautiful? What sort of criticism is that?
I garden in the Kansas City area, zone 5a.
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LucyGoose
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Post by LucyGoose »

Well kids, I never got to go to see Heims. :( The back surgery got into the way....

Hi & welcome to Hallson's Chuckrkc!! :D
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Post by insam »

One reason why a criticism of beautiful or artistic photos might be made is when commercial interests are involved (I know this might not make sense as a book is published to sell :D ). Often photographs of plants are displayed after having been edited to saturate color etc. It doesn't bother me too much because I realize it from the beginning, but it can be a problem if a person seeks out a particular plant only to find it looks far more ordinary in the garden. It just so happens that many botanical and horticultural experts are also involved in commerce, so this is perhaps natural and inevitable. And of course publishers like something that will sell because of eye candy as well. Personally I enjoy pretty photos as much as the next person, but I can easily see associated problems too. Worse (and far more serious) is when seedlings of cultivars are (knowingly or unknowingly, but inevitably) sold with cultivar names.
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Post by insam »

Oops, I posted without reading so now I see Chris has already made these points. :oops:
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Post by Garden_of_Mu »

Jumping in without reading the whole thread so forgive me if this has already been suggested, but whenever I am iffy on whether to buy a book or not I have my local library get it for me to check out beforehand and then if I like it I can order one for myself later. If your library doesn't have it they can get it thru inter-library loan. :)
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kHT
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Post by kHT »

Excellent idea Garden_of_Mu, or you can go to a book store that carries it to check it out. I look at it this way if they photograph something that should be the goal we try to seek, I know I've got a garden handicap so the pleasure it to try to reach the goal of the photo. I've been to TNN and know what the photos are about there. Don't we all try to show our very best? Plus isn't that what sells a product?
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