Hellebores slowly rise to greet the new year
Last week Karen of The Turning Year mentioned that she had trimmed back her Hellebore foliage. She had found flower buds. Yesterday I walked through to the back of the house and looked at my Hellebore bed. What a floppy mess. If there were any buds they were well hidden!
Hellebore border
Well I just had to see if there was anything under there. Isn’t cutting back very therapeutic? Apart from making the flowers easier to see there is also a health benefit. Hellebore Leaf Spot can be a problem on old foliage so cutting back reduces the chance of this disease getting a hold.
Now it looks just as messy but in a different way. Like some grazing animal had just passed through!
Hellebore border after a trim
Bending down I see signs of life. Hellebore flowers are indeed starting to appear. Some of the plants are quite old (late 1980s) and came from the Nursery of the late Helen Ballard. She was a very famous breeder of Hellebores and had a particular interest in plain colours.
Helleborus torquatus (Ballard)
Helleborus x hybridus (Ballard yellow)
Helleborus x hybridus (Light red)
Today when I went out to look, the Hellebore pictured above had opened. It was my first Hellebore flower of the new year. Hurrah! They are fascinating plants with beautiful flowers. I am glad I made the effort to uncover them.
Helleborus x hybridus (Light red)
9 comments
Well that looks like cause for celebration!
Susan: It is indeed. Any flower at this time of year is a joy to behold!
Ummm – I know what you mean when you say it looks like a grazing animal has passed through – mine is the same. BUT it is lovely to see the buds pushing up and you have a flower :) wonderful.
That Ballard Yellow is looking rather nice.
Does this mean you are creeping out of Hibernation???
K
Karen: Very slowly :-)
Beautiful! I looked at mine yesterday in the snow, checked under the thick mess of leaves & saw nothing, and just left them alone. I’m guessing the leaves might be a good cover for anything tender, with our cold weather right now. It’s tempting, though!!
Where I live in VA, I’ve never noticed any flowers on mine until the summer. Most other’s I’ve read have said they bloom in the winter, even where it’s cold, as I remember. Do you know why this might be?
I enjoyed your post! Thanks;)
Jan: Thanks for the discussion about the Hellebores. Always something new to learn!
Here the hellebores are plumping up nicely but no open flowers yet. I have one or two seedlings that are going to flower for the first time which is always exciting. I would love to see a photo of your ‘Ballard Yellow’ when it opens.
Anna: Seedlings are exciting I agree. Hope you get a nice flower. I’ll try to remember to post a picture of the yellow one.
How glorious to have flowers in the garden in January. Is the Ballard light red as pink as it appears in the photograph? Looks like it will be just stunning when it’s full of blossoms with its dark red stems.
Barbara; It’s definitely a red rather than a pink. The sun was shining when I took the picture which probably accounts for it appearing lighter.
A nice surprise after a trim & cleanup! Lovely colors!
Racquel: Quite satisfying – especially when I saw flowers were coming :-)
What a nice surprise! Ours are still tightly budded, but it won’t be long.
Lovely photos.
HappyMouffetard: It’s good that they don’t all come at once. Extends the pleasure!
I have just bought and planted my first Hellebore. After seeing these photo’s I want some more they look stunning in a large group. I can’t wait to add to mine.
Maureen
I have had a mystery plant in my garden for several years. Have been trying to identify it. Meanwhile, it blooms lovely green blooms with a hint of pink in the buds. My daughter works in our local library and while she was browsing through a gardening book the other day she discovered a picture of our mystery. How exciting to discover pictures and information. Thanks to all.
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