Tiarella 'Sugar and Spice'

Tiarella 'Sugar and Spice': Bold Veins, Sweet Bloom

With its striking foliage and shimmering floral display, Tiarella 'Sugar and Spice' brings vivid contrast and refined beauty to the part-shade garden. Deeply cut green leaves are etched with dramatic black-purple veins and hold strong from spring through fall. In mid to late spring, a profusion of lightly fragrant, pale pink flower spikes rises just above the foliage, adding softness and pollinator appeal. Compact and clump-forming, this foamflower offers lasting interest and a touch of woodland glamour.

Plant Characteristics:

• Height: 20–30 cm
• Spread: 30–45 cm
• Flower Colour: Pale pink, lightly fragrant
• Flowering Period: Mid to late spring
• Foliage: Deep green with bold black-purple veining; semi-evergreen and deeply lobed
• Sunlight Requirements: Part shade to full shade
• Soil Requirements: Moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil

Uses and Benefits: 'Sugar and Spice' shines in woodland gardens, shady borders, and naturalistic plantings where bold foliage is as valued as bloom. Its fragrant flowers provide early nectar for pollinators, while its dark-veined leaves offer enduring contrast and texture. This variety is particularly striking when massed or paired with soft, arching companions that highlight its crisp form and colouring.

Companion Plants: Pair Tiarella 'Sugar and Spice' with the smoky burgundy and primrose blooms of Helleborus 'Spanish Flare', the soft, native groundcover texture of Carex pensylvanica, and the copper-tinged fronds of Dryopteris 'Golden Scaled Fern' for a rich, layered woodland composition that blends foliage drama with early-season bloom.

Care Instructions: Plant in part to full shade in moist, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter. Water regularly in dry conditions. Remove old foliage in early spring before new growth emerges. Divide clumps every few years to maintain vigour and density.

History: A modern hybrid selected for its showy foliage and scented bloom, 'Sugar and Spice' is part of a new generation of foamflowers bred for stronger colour contrast and season-long presence in shade gardens.

Final Thoughts: Sweet in bloom and spicy in foliage, Tiarella 'Sugar and Spice' delivers rich texture and woodland charm—an eye-catching accent for shaded spaces that need both flair and function.