Wake up to Winter Hellebores

If you plant nothing else this month plant a hellebore

Some of the new hybrid hellebores (H. Cheryl's Smile above)  are absolutely fantastic low growing perennials. Unsurpassable for early winter to late spring colour. Beautiful leafy carpets of interest that mix well with ferns , hostas, silver brunera leaves, heuchera, epimediums and spring bulbs.

Plant in your borders or under the trees they are quiet versatile. They have some really good colours, long flowering periods and prominent flowers hanging above the foliage rather than nodding underneath. They are tough and resilient and therefore excellent early plants for a partly shaded border or in a container. Due to the care taken in breeding these plants are true to type. They do robustly well in my heavy changeable soil.

Whist we all love the classic white Helleborus Niger, it does take a while to establish. Try the Winter Gold collection which flowers early as an easier to grow alternative. 

H. Molly's White

The intense and interesting shades of some of the hybrid are unrivalled in the early season. They range from white and pastels to deep reds. We have single flowers, doubles flowers, frilly flowers and speckled flowers, deep leathery foliage and marble leaf foliage. They are valued by bees usually desperate for an early feed. You will find our early hellebore beds buzzing. 

H. Pink Penny

So wake up to winter with hellebores they are not just beautiful they are also important for our pollinators.