Some of the hellebores blooming today...even the backs are pretty, don't you think? Still waiting on some, e.g., the double, the picotee edged one, the yellow and all of the backyard ones. Buds on some more of the darks, too. Hellebores are such long lasting flowers outside. I've seen slides of Hellebores with snow and ice on them. It's nice to have flowers that will take whatever winter dishes out. I remember the owners of Pine Knot Farms (www.pineknotfarms.com) saying they could imagine hellebores replacing pansies as bedding plants. Something to think about. You wouldn't have to toss them and they'd just get bigger and better every year...
10 comments:
Gorgeous photos of hellebores. I have a couple of plants but they're not blooming right now and when they do, their colors aren't as pretty.
I also have a 'Dawn' viburnum and I love it.
I have a garden blog at http://marylandcountrygarden.typepad.com
Gorgeous pics--my hellebores are just starting to bud out here. I never liked pansies but am trying to figure out a cheap way to get more hellebores. I want to find some of the h. niger seeds to start, so I have a few earlier bloomers.
Oh, maypop, your blog is delightful! Can't wait to spend more time there! Your albums look so interesting...can't wait to check out the Sissinghurst one...I went there last May (06) and one day...sigh...will actually get my photos in album.
The thing with the hellebores (for color) I discovered/decided was to wait to buy until they were actually in bloom...made a big difference...not cheap, though...but I got tired of waiting three years for a blah one.
Thanks for your comment! This is all very exciting!
Your hellebores are beautiful. I have two small plants I received in a trade last summer. I know little about them really, but am really, really hoping to have at least one bloom this year. I don't know what variety they are or flower color, I don't care-I just want flowers in winter!!
Hi blackswamp girl! May I say how much I enjoyed your blog?! Love that black background, everything just pops out! So sorry about the cherry tree(s). I have bookmarked it to pour over further, very interesting!
I gather they make seed fairly readily and it is best to plant very fresh. The other thing is...they take a long time to bloom from seed. I think I read/heard that Pine Knot sells seed? Getting some of their seed might make the wait worth it!
By the way, about five or six years ago, I bought a seedling (little did I know) from Park's (I think) that was a Pine Knot (so they said) double....I then saw the Pine Knot folks posted somewhere that with seedlings all would NOT be double, maybe 85% would be (or something like that)....guess what I got?? A non double blah one! I just have all the luck! Paid too much and had to wait too long. Such is life and learning lessons!
Thanks so much for visiting over here! I do appreciate it!
Hello Angie! Good luck with your hellebores! It is nice to have flowers in winter...and they last and last! I'm sure you will enjoy them! (My fingers are crossed that you get blooms this year!)
Thanks for stopping by!
Gotta garden: the photos of Sissinghurst were taken with a cheap, film camera and scanned so the quality's not the best. Someday I'll get back there!
I think I may just start doing what you did and only buy hellebores when I can see the bloom color. Yours are just such nice colors. It's more expensive, but worth it, I think.
GG, I am enjoying your blog as well--and I crack up every time I end up on your profile and read your comment on how you'd roast those marshmallows. (I often click on names in comments to reach a profile and then a blog.) So true!
The hellebores that I have are 'Pine Knot Strain' and I think that I got mine from Wayside Gardens a loong time ago. 2003? I would have never known that Pine Knot referred to a nursery that might offer seeds--thanks for the tip!
Blackwamp_girl, you made my day!
Oh maypop, we certainly do have to go back...once cannot be enough! Besides there are so many more gardens there to explore (now, can I just win the lottery to pay for the trip??!)! If we dreaming, I'd like to go on a private day...I think almost all my pictures have other people in them...it was wall to wall people!
Good luck on the Hellebore hunt!
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