When it arrives
Your plug tray
20-cell plugs are large enough to plant straight out; 72-cell plugs do better potted into 4-inch pots for a few weeks. Keep moist and shaded from hot sun until rooted in.
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Real dishes from our Field Notes recipes, shared by the people who made them.
Fairytale Romance grown by our community
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- Mature height
- 20.0 in
- Mature spread
- 22.0 in
- Bloom
- Mid-April – peak Early-May
- Fragrance
- None
- Deer
- Resistant
Lavender companion · grow guide
How to grow Fairytale Romance
Bergenia · Bergenia
Bergenia (pigsqueak) is a tough, slow-spreading groundcover with big glossy leaves. It does best in part shade and moist, organic soil but tolerates a wide range of soils.
Check my zone & planting dates
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Part shadeLight
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Moderate waterAverage drainage
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pH 6.0–8.0Soil
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Zones 4a–8bHardiness
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20″ tall22″ wide
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Some resistanceDeer · rabbits resistant
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Not known toxicPets
Huckleberry saysTell me where you grow and I’ll check if Fairytale Romance will thrive there.
Hardy in zones 4a–8b
Spring or early fall.
Your year with Fairytale Romance
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When to plant
Spring or early fall.
How deep
Set the thick creeping rhizome at or just below the soil surface, same depth as in the plug; leaves should sit above the soil.
Spacing
12–18 inches apart for groundcover.
Soil
Adaptable: clay, loam or sand; best with organic matter · pH 6.0–8.0
Fix-it tip: Mix compost into sandy soil to hold moisture. It tolerates clay, but loosen it so water doesn't stand around the rhizomes.
Sun
Part shade (tolerates full sun in cool climates; full shade (fewer flowers)).
Winter sun deepens the red-bronze leaf color, but hot afternoon summer sun can scorch leaves.
Don’t give up on it
Is it alive? What spring looks like
Evergreen to semi-evergreen. Leaves often look battered or bronze after winter; new leaves and pink flower stalks appear in early to mid-spring.
Spring
Clean up winter-worn leaves; pink to white flowers appear early.
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Summer
Keep watered in heat; enjoy bold leaves.
Fall
Divide crowded clumps; leaves start to color.
Winter
Red-bronze evergreen leaves in many varieties.
Watering
First season: Water regularly the first season so the rhizomes knit in.
After that: Fairly drought tolerant once established, but leaves look best with steady moisture.
Feeding
Light feeder. Compost in spring is enough.
Pruning & deadheading
Remove winter-damaged leaves in early spring and cut flower stalks after bloom.
Dividing
Every 3–5 years in spring or after flowering, when clumps get bare in the center; cut rhizomes into sections with leaves attached.
Winter
Hardy zones 3–8. Foliage often turns burgundy to bronze in cold weather; leave it in place.
Summer heat
Tolerates heat with afternoon shade and moisture; leaves scorch in hot, dry sun.
Ragged holes in leaves
Likely cause: Slugs or snails
What to do: Remove debris, use traps or iron phosphate bait
Notches along leaf edges
Likely cause: Adult vine weevils
What to do: Hand-pick at night; check roots for grubs
Few flowers
Likely cause: Too much shade or overcrowding
What to do: Divide and give more light
Too wet or too dry?
Brown, papery leaf edges mean too dry; soft, rotting rhizomes mean soggy soil.
Watch for
- Slugs and snails
- Vine weevil notching leaves
- Leaf spot in damp, crowded plantings
Pets & wildlife
Not listed by ASPCA; no known toxicity reported. Discourage pets from chewing any garden plant.
Deer: somewhat resistant · Rabbits: resistant
Finnegan saysStill not sure what’s wrong? Ask Plant Health — describe it or add a photo.
In a container
Good in pots · 2 gallon+
Good in pots and shady containers; keep the mix evenly moist.
Indoors
Outdoor plant
Hardy perennial that needs winter cold outdoors.
Winter chill
Best after a cold winter
Flowers in early spring from buds formed the year before, so a normal winter helps it bloom.
Growing it on
Plugs from the tray
3–4 inch pots for 3–5 weeks, until roots hold the soil
Garden bed or a 2 gallon pot
Time to move up? Slide the plant out: if white roots wrap the outside of the soil, it’s ready for the next size.
Planting with lavender
Plant it near your lavender
Use it at the shadier front edge near lavender, not in the dry sunny heart of the bed. It handles some dryness but prefers more moisture and less sun than lavender.
Same bedNearbyIts own area
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