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Heavenly
Hellebores
by
Brendan Little
10
Jan '02
 The
Christmas Roses and the Lenten Roses provide
us with some of the most beautiful hardy flowers
of winter and early spring. Both Helleborus
niger (The Christmas Rose) and Helleborus orientalis
(The Lenten Rose) are easy to grow in any well-drained
yet moist garden soil. Hellebores are adaptable
plants and will tolerate acid and alkaline soils.
They enjoy dapple or deciduous shade making
them ideal subjects for the fringe of the woodland
garden, and both species will also thrive in
full sun. The fact that they enjoy some shade
makes them wonderful for planting around trees
and shrubs.
Helleborus
niger grows to 300mm in height with a spread
of 460mm and produces saucer shaped flowers,
3cm across, from December to March.
The real beauty of the flower is the crown of
golden stamens, which stand proud of the snow-white
petals. The nodding white flowers are further
enhanced when viewed against the dark green
leathery leaves. Helleborus niger is a gently
refined subject, which seems to flower almost
apologetically. A winter warning! Heavy rain
can result in the flowers being splashed with
soil, this spoils the beauty of the blooms and
renders them useless for cutting. In early November,
mulch the plants with leaf mould to avoid soil
splash tarnishing the blooms.
Helleborus
orientalis will flower in winter and early spring,
it is a valuable evergreen plant for the shady
garden, I grow it against a damp north-facing
wall, beneath rhododendrons, where it takes
on all comers in the heavyweight weed division.
Helleborus orientalis is indeed quite a vigorous
chap when he settles down and may be used as
ground cover to good effect. The plant grows
to 460mm in height with a spread of 600mm; the
nodding blooms vary in colour from pale pink
to dark plum.
The dark, waxy evergreen leaves make Helleborus
orientalis a welcome plant in any the garden,
the flowers are a real bonus, and what a splendid
bonus they are.
Established clumps should not be disturbed.
Apply an annual dressing of well-rotted manure
or leaf mould to keep the plants in good condition.
Both
Helleborus niger and Helleborus orientalis are
well worth growing, and whichever one you choose
you will be rewarded each winter with a sumptuous
show of flowers. My advice? Grow them both!
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