Sorry, hostas – gardeners are using heucheras for shady gardens

As much as I like hostas, they’re not the plant I’d recommend for brightening up a shady garden – heucheras are even more reliable, and, truly, they’re a breathtaking foliage plant.

Whether you’re looking for frilly lime foliage or flame-coloured leaves, there really is a heuchera for every planting scheme (there are so many varieties to choose from). Plus, they’re generally slug- and snail-repellent plants, while hostas are a target for the slimy critters.

Here’s why experts recommend heucheras for shady gardens – and one or two varieties I’ve got my eye on!