I am growing Heuchera villosa 'Citronelle', 'Caramel' & 'Mocha' in pots and they are performing great! Tried them in the garden and half of them died the first year.
While they are SE natives, their habitat is mostly confined to the mountains. There are a few disjunct colonies found in the Piedmont, but there are probably special soil conditions that support them.
Some nurseries recommend that H. villosa be grown in pots, unless you live in a mountainous area.

For Huecheras that perform well in Peidmont gardens, try H. americana selections (not hybrids!), such as:
'Dale's Strain','Green Spice', 'Mint Frost', 'Eco Magnifolia', 'Pewter Veil'.
I have had success with those for many years.
There are other cultivars listed as species H. americana, such as 'Montrose Ruby', 'Pewter Moon', 'Cathedral Windows', etc., but are probably hybrids, with another species, because they didn't survive for me.
H. sp. 'Palace Purple' will perform well for a number of years, before having to be replaced. I am also trying those in pots, to see if their life can be extended.
I use 75% composted, finely ground pine bark (Nature's Helper, Earth Helper) & 25% MG Moisture Control Potting Mix for Heucheras.
Rb

I grow 'Palace Purple' just fine with shade after 1:00pm in summer. The 'Key Lime' were glorious, but they toasted in the location (waiting for shade to grow in) beside the dining patio with the heat radiating off the stones.

Someone eats the heuchera after summer has gone -- could be deer or rabbits. I'm not sure. The heuchera inside my fence aren't eaten, even though the bunnies can fit under the fence. That makes me think it's the deer eating the heuchera in off-season. The heucheras come back in summer, even with the munching.

The current issue (Feb 2009) of Fine Gardening has an interesting article on Heucheras by Allan Armitage. I'm glad I'm not the only one who has had problems growing heuchera. I have a few varieties that have done well, but I have lost just as many as I've grown successfully. I'm always on the lookout for those that are vigorous growers. If you have varieties that have done well for you I'd like to hear about them.

I've grown Amethyst Mist for more years then I can count. It's just a few plants to front a border filled with Japanese painted fern and the combo is lovely. I can't say it's thrived exactly, but it hasn't died out either. I give it no care other then water. The color is one of the best purples I've seen. Nothing like the brownish color of Purple Palace. Mine is in a dryish raised bed that faces northeast. An important note is that it has our long hot and humid summers to contend with also. Sure, it looks it's best in the spring, but then so do I. Of the coral bells I've tried it's done the best considering all the factors it has had to tolerate.

I'm another who doesn't have much luck with Heuchera. The exception is "Plum Pudding" - have a nice drift of that that has lasted through two seasons.

I have spent so much money on Heuchera the last few years with very little success that I'm done with them, at least at this house.

I'm so glad to read all these recommendations. I keep declaring that I'm done with heucheras, but their colored foliage is so irresistible. You all give me encouragement to try again. And yes, I saw the article in Fine Gardening too. Many of your recommendations match up with Armitage's, which doubles the encouragement.

I wonder what makes them do better in pots? Better drainage?

maryl, Amethyst Mist has done well for me too, I've had it for five years now.