This is the first year that I have ever trimmed the leaves from the hellebore plants. After several years they just seemed to need it. Am wondering how it will affect their blooming and size for next year. hellebore ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) hellebore "madi gras mix" ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) woodland bed with ferns, bulbs, hellebore and sweet woodruff ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) hellebore with interesting leaf color ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden ) And one little primrose that I have had for as long as we have lived on this property, 30 years. Think I will divide some and add them to the woodland garden. ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )
What a lovely display your hellebores makes Jewel. I have some in my garden which are flowering at the moment too.
WOW. Backyard? What does your front yard look like? Really nice ones. I think I like the last one best. Variegated leaves?
I've always wanted to try Hellebores but they seem so fragile. Your photos really make me want to try some!
The only Hellebore which need their leaves trimming at this tme of year are the H. orientalis hybrids. Others like H, niger, x sternii. x ericsmithii, foetidus, argutifolius and so on should only have dead or dying leaves removed. I always cut the leaves off the hybrids in February and it has done the plants no harm over the last 18 years of doing it. Not sure what the weather is like in S. Oregon, but here in a very cold part of Britain, Hellebores thrive and ignore everything the weather throws at them.
Palustris, Thanks for the info. Half of these plants are seedlings from other plants in the front yard. The doubles are more recent purchases. Netty, Eileen or Droopy or someone here at the stew had doubles and blew me away so I had to have some. They were cheap last year (I think mismarked) so I was able to get a few. Startsmom, all you need is a deciduous tree to plant them under. Shade in the summer and sun in the winter. They seem to be pretty indestructible if planted in the right place. The first one I got I planted in sun and didn't keep it watered enough the first year. That one I lost. Now I pull seedlings up as weeds. Calinromania, yep, varigated leaves. Started seeing those a couple of years ago in the garden centers. The flower color seemed a little better this year. Before it seemed like the flowers didn't have as much pink and seemed kind of gray. Front yard post doesn't have as many hellebores and are later blooming. The backyard is a cooler microclimate during the summer since we removed a cherry tree in the front yard. Maybe once the Japanese maples get some size on them the hellebores will flourish out front again. Eileen I would love to see photos of yours! Cherylad, Netty and CM, thank you. Waretop, go for it. Nothing is cheerier than seeing blooms during a dreary winter day while strolling through the yard.
Lovely display Jewell. I trim mine every fall and throught the summer. It doesn't seem to effect the blooms.
Jewell here are a few photographs of the Hellebores I have in my garden. Nothing like the quantity or variety of Palustris's but I love them. They add some much needed colour to the garden at this time of year.
I just saw cheap ones at my grocery store this morning. They had millions of them for $15.00. I would buy $200.00 worth, about 14 of them and quickly plant them in that old triangle garden but they are just plain ones. I am getting picky after seeing what I bought last year and what all of you have.... I will wait.
Eileen those are beautiful. I love the deep purple doubles and that first pink is huge. Nothing like a bit of color so early in the season. I really like the way the stone helps show it off.
Barb, the Home Depot has had them for $10, and my local nursery had double hellebores last year for $8 (probably mismarked, but I loved it and that was how they rung up) Keep an eye out and I'm sure you will find some deals once you know what you want.
