I look for the Villosa mixes because it can be very humid here. But you are right most you just have to try and hope.

I do need to get more painted ferns . I want to try the Godzilla one , I wonder if it really gets big.

I have three Godzilla ferns. It's growing fast!

Most of my shade is out in what I call deer territory. I am actually going to tear out a rose after this heat spell is over so that I can plant a couple more heucheras. Yes, they are Villosa hybrids, but I've just got to keep trying, I am putting them in my only rose cage out in front of the house ... Too much shade for the rose to thrive, so why not try a heuchera ?

I have a hunch I may not be able to grow a Japanese painted fern there because I do get morning sun in that bed. We'll see if the heuchera fries before I try that one. I know I can't grow ferns in back of the house. Besides, I don't think they are deer resistant.

I photoed my heucheras the other day.
Some are old friends ,I usually buy one every year to keep the collection going.
Black Currant



Obsidian in a container.I'll transplant late summer.


lavalamp new



venus



delta dawn



circus

Lyn Painted Ferns are deer resistant.

Jo Ann they look good, Lava Lamp is a real pretty one.

Bob ... no offense meant, but have you tested that ?

All of the nursery sites say that heucheras are deer resistant. My deer can't read and they ate my first ones to the crown the first night I had them out in front of the house. When the doe got into the house pad garden last fall, she ate every one of my heucheras to the crown, too.

http://garden.org/thread/view_...

The doe even chomped my star magnolia ...

I'd love to plant painted ferns out in front of the house. They have been on my wish list for years. I also have the perfect spot for a Godzilla fern out in deer territory under my maple tree.

If you want a pretty Japanese fern, get 'Burgundy Lace.' It's a beauty!

They never touch mine , but they also leave the Heuchera alone rabbits on the other hand do like the new leaves on my Heuchera. The only plant I have that nothing ever bothers are the Hellebore.

Clint I agree Burgundy Lace is a beauty.

OK ... I'll give one a try. I love them and have always wanted one.

I may be lucky because I haven't had any deer in the front of the house this year after blocking all of the places the doe got in and putting fencing under my neighbor's forsythia hedge. They haven't even nibbled on the roses sticking out through the deer fencing.

Thank you.

Deer ate my heuchera one winter. It was in a container,just the right height so the deer didnt have to bend down.
The plant came back.
Deer eat anything if they are hungry enough. Don't get me going.

JoAnn ...

I did do some research ... of course, I did some research ... I guess you have figured that part out about me by now ... we have black tail deer and mule deer in Trinity County and they have different eating habits than the white tail deer found in the east. So what may be deer resistant to white tail deer is deer candy to the deer out here. I think when nurseries say a plant is "deer resistant", you just have to test it before you go all out a buy a lot of that plant for your garden.

Also, I think deer born and raised in town and taught to feed in people's gardens don't recognize that our garden plants are plants that are not what normal deer in the back country would not consider to be food. There is a large meadow across the road from my home with a lot of species roses growing in it. During the drought, the starving town deer often tried to tear down my deer fences to get to my roses and never even tried to eat the uncaged species roses that were readily available to them. They didn't even recognized that the meadow was filled with plants that normal deer would consider food. They were raised to feed on peoples gardens.

Since we had cougar problems last year, my neighbor above me finally brushed and fenced his property and we no longer have the large deer herd that has always grazed up there, so I think that has a lot to do with my having fewer deer, too.

The town deer herd has simply gotten way too large and is totally out of control, but for now things are looking pretty good for my part of town.

I love Heuchera 'Pinot Gris.' The flowers are so airy.

I planted Godzilla painted fern last year, they overwintered well. I have 7 varieties of painted fern. By far the largest most vigorous for me has been one called Wildwood Twist. I will have to see if Godzilla will outdo it. The weakest for me but very beautiful is one called Silver Falls.

Gary - Thanks for the info. I was thinking about getting Wildwood Twist last week. I keep buying more and more of these. They just look perfect with Heuchera. Nothing else goes with them so well to me.

Grape Soda looks real good this year.




Picked up Blondie this year and really like it.

Love 'Blondie', has been a great one for me. Love the yellow blooms.

How have the other Little Cuties done for you? I also picked up Peppermint , was surprised we got them in at work.

'Coco', 'ginger snap' and 'sugar berry', all died. 'Coco' and 'ginger snap' I tried 2 times. The others are great.

My deer love the Heuc but do not eat my ferns. This year was the first year in 8 yrs that something nibbled the new leaves of the Japanese ferns. I believe it was rabbits because my deer commit to eating the entire plant once they start.

I use to grow the Japanese ferns in early half day sun they did do better in more sun than in the deep shade I have them in now.