Heuchera Rust - Puccinia heucherae

An unfortunate discovery in the garden and a case for walking the garden every day observing both positive and negative changes...

stems are droopy

While doing the morning rounds, I noticed all 5 of the beautiful, large Heuchera 'Obsidian' I'd purchased recently had something very wrong with them! The underside of the leaves and some stems had light brownish bumps and were clearly dying. Immediately I called the wholesale nursery from whom I had purchased the Heuchera. I learned the ailment is Rust and that this particular rust only effects other Heuchera and Saxifraga. I could have removed all of the foliage and waited for the new growth to appear but after some preliminary research I also learned that once the rust is touched the bumps release spores spreading the rust. I chose to 'glove up', carefully dig up and throw away (in the garbage) all 5 Heuchera. I can only hope that the rust has not spread to the other Heuchera in the garden or the Saxifraga on the other side of the garden!

eruptions on underside of leaves

curvy stems with whitish brown dying portions

Ewwww

Tree Removal

 The decision to have a tree removed from your garden is a big one and requires the knowledge that a better choice exists. I've recently had an old plum tree, that I scorned under my breath every summer as aphid honeydew rained on me and my plants, removed from my garden. The result is bittersweet. I feel sad to have lost a large, old tree that had been on this earth longer than me. I enjoyed its craggy, twisted bark and unusual double trunk. I enjoyed hanging Spanish Moss from its branches and watching the birds eat insects and perch on its branches. I also know that the minute aphids should be hatching, they wont! Ha, ha! I know that the plants that struggled beneath its branches will struggle no more! I know that my new Lagerstroemia 'Natchez' will grow gracefully large and reveal its mottled cinnamon-colored bark and white blooms in summer and beautiful fall color.

Garden Happenings

Some signs of growth!!! in the garden...

Hydrangea quercifolia 

Phyteuma scheuchzeri

Allium

Iris x Pacifica 'Violetta'

Iris tenax 'Oregon Watercolor'

Iris 'Violetta' opening in front of Hakonechloa macra 'All Gold'

Iris japonica

Trachycarpus fortunei 

in bud

Saxifraga 'Dentata'