Plant of the Week:
HELLEBORES
Thank heaven for hellebores – a happy addition to every garden! These evergreen blooming perennials are without a doubt the star of the winter and early spring garden! Hellebores flower no matter how cold it gets; in fact, they actually prefer the cool weather. And when they first bloom, you know spring is not far behind! The flowers come in white, pink, rose, crimson, purple, black and chartreuse, and both double and single blooms. And did we mention they are easy to grow and care for? Drought-tolerant once established, Hellebores are at their best in evenly moist soil in partial shade. Be sure to water during extended dry periods. To tidy plants up, prune the areas that have become overgrown and new shoots will appear quickly. Cutting the older leaves off hellebores in autumn or early winter provides space for new leaves and flowers to grow. Here are a few of our hellebore faves:
Helleborus Berry Swirl – fully double blooms in enchanting shades of orchid Berry Swirl is easy to grow, producing compact mounds of dark evergreen leaves that are the perfect backdrop to the stunning flowers. Typically ignored by deer and rabbits, this Hellebore will bring fantastic color and texture to shady borders, containers, or rock gardens. Prefer shade and are deer resistant.
Helleborus Double Fantasy – new semi-double form has beautiful white, outward facing flowers on tall stems, with ruffled petals and a circle of gold stamens – truly magical! Handsome dark green leaves form compact clumps, accentuating the pure white buds in early spring. Foliage is clean and virtually spot-free. Deer and rabbit resistant. Perfect in shaded woodland, native or shade gardens.
Helleborus Pink Frost – burgundy stems support leathery leaves with a silver frosting. The flowers are a combination of white, pink, and deep rose tones and are upward facing – unusual for a hellebore. ‘Pink Frost’ is evergreen, long blooming, and deer resistant too! Makes a superb groundcover and choice perennial for shady borders.
source: Monrovia & Terra Nova Nurseries
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