Zone: Front Foundation

Season of Interest: Late Spring to Mid-Summer (Flowers); Year-round (Foliage)

The Doctor’s Notes (Medicinal Use)

In 19th-century practice, Coral Bells were often referred to by the evocative name "Alumroot." Dr. Woodward would have valued them for their extreme astringency:

• The "Alum" Effect: The roots are incredibly rich in tannins. Much like the mineral alum, they were used to shrink tissues and stop bleeding from small cuts or mouth sores.

• Sore Throat Relief: A strong tea made from the root was used as a gargle to treat chronic sore throats and inflamed tonsils.

• Skin Ailments: Powdered Alumroot was often applied to "weeping" or slow-healing ulcers to help dry the wound and encourage scabbing.

The Household Assistant (Homestead Use)

For the Woodward family, Coral Bells provided a mix of delicate beauty and practical garden benefits:

• The Hummingbird Magnet: The tiny, bell-shaped flowers produced on tall, slender wands are one of the best ways to attract hummingbirds to the front of the house.

• Foundation "Jewels": While many foundation plants are large and bulky, Coral Bells provided a low-growing "edging" that kept the garden looking tidy and refined near the museum’s entrance.

• Winter Interest: In the mild Connecticut autumns, the foliage often persists, and in many heritage varieties, the leaves take on deep bronze or purple tones as the temperature drops, keeping the foundation from looking bare.

Botanist’s Corner

• Form: A mounding perennial that grows in a tidy rosette, typically 8 to 12 inches tall (though flower spikes can reach 2 feet).

• Foliage: Heart-shaped or rounded leaves with scalloped edges. Modern varieties come in every color from lime green to deep obsidian, but 19th-century versions were usually rich greens and bronzes.

• Flowers: Clusters of tiny, bell-shaped blooms that appear to "hover" above the foliage on nearly invisible, wiry stems.