These versatile and multicolored gems begin to brighten up the garden just after fall bloomers have faded
I took my own advice after scoot photo for my last regional story and spent some clip walking around the Joseph A. Witt Winter Garden in the Washington Park Arboretum in Seattle . I was amazed at the large excerpt of false hellebore growing at that garden and in other areas of the arboretum . Hellebores ( Helleborusspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–9 ) will grow in a form of conditions — from woodland garden , to shining mixed borders , to sunny dry Mediterranean - inspired garden . They are very hard and long - live on flora given the right conditions , and they flower when other industrial plant are in their wintertime slumber . One affair they all appreciate is inert - to - alkaline grease . I have come across bag of lime chips sold at nurseries and garden centers to help combat the Pacific Northwest ’s typically acidic soils . One method that does the chore doubly over is using gravel mulch , which helps neutralize the soil and help oneself with clay splosh on the heyday and leaves . off the spent flowers afterward in spring also helps diminish the number of seedling make that are not true copy of the parent plant ; it also help with aphid control , since aphid seem appeal to the melt prime . Here are a few hellebores that are just starting to bud up and get ready to bloom now in other wintertime ( hence their nickname : Christmas rise ) .
‘Blackthorn Strain’ hellebore
Helleborus ×sternii‘Blackthorn Strain ’ , Zones 7b–9
grow size:12 to 24 inches tall and 12 to 24 in wide
‘ Blackthorn Strain ’ hellebore is a peachy addition to any garden . This hybrid is a crossbreeding between two Mediterranean specie of hellebore : Corsican hellebore ( Helleborus argutifolius , Zones 6–8 ) and Majorcan hellebore ( Helleborus lividus , Zones 7b–9 ) . This plant carries many of the fantastic trait of its parents . Large , three - lob evergreen leaf with deep veining and toothed edges amount from the Corsican hellebore . The astonishing blue - gray food coloring on its foliage and pinkish - to - mauve flowers , which bloom from December to February , come from the Majorcan hellebore . look on the grower and source , the variations of this hybridization are sempiternal . My rendering of this crisscross also has beautiful pink - tinged new leaves that darken up to green as they mature . The blossom also deepen color as they get on ( this is common for many hellebores ) , so be mindful of this when you are purchasing them . This hellebore is growing extremely well in my summer - dry garden with its circumscribed water supply consumption . Its yearly raw development will make grow from novel flower stem , so be careful when pruning back this plant . check that you ’re removing the old increment and not the current season ’s novel folio and flower .
HGC ‘Jacob’ hellebore
Helleborus niger‘Jacob ’ , geographical zone 3–8
age size:12 inches tall and 12 inches wide
This lovely and reliably early - blooming hellebore is sold at most garden gist and local nurseries . It has glum leathery green leaf that complement cheery , undimmed livid flowers with chickenhearted centers . This hellebore commence to bloom in early November and will extend through January , help to clear up the dark wintertime days . I grow mine interplanted with black mondo pasture ( Ophiopogon planiscapus‘Nigrescens ’ , Zones 6–9 ) to produce a line between black and blanched . While those colors together may not be to everyone ’s liking , I certainly revel the combination .
This hellebore grows its leaves and flower stalks one by one . Cut away the premature year ’s tattered and embrown folio in fall to show off new flowers and help with lick and snail control . Do n’t interest — the fresh leaves will egress shortly after the flowers start to open . This hellebore does a great job of lighten the front of a mixed border , especially if it can be hear from the house . It also is centre - get filling an entrance walkway or decorating a wintertime container .
‘Anna’s Red’ hellebore
Helleborus ×hybridus‘Anna ’s Red ’ , Zones 4–9
maturate size:18 to 24 inches marvellous and wide
‘ Anna ’s Red ’ is a beautiful hybrid hellebore named after the notable and fecund U.K. garden writer and plantswoman Anna Pavord . It has some of the largest and darkest royal red - purpleness of any of the hybrid hellebores I ’ve seen . The flower buds and stems are almost black and very outstanding . The stems are a wonderful demarcation to the thick leathery leaves that are equally striking with abstruse veins of pinkish Bolshevik . The rich dark reddish – purple bloom are perhaps 3 inch in diameter with adorable yellow centers . These flowers blossom from January to March . This hellebore also has separate leaves and blossom stalks , making it a good nominee for yearly removal of the former year ’s leaves to keep it kempt and sassy looking . ‘ Anna ’s Red ’ would look tremendous en masse shot in a woodland garden setting , specially underplanted with wood anemone electric-light bulb ( Galanthus nivalis , zone 3–7 ) .
I desire these hellebores will encourage you to keep gardening with the few 60 minutes of daylight uncommitted in winter . One additional benefit of develop these terrific plants in your garden is the lovely evergreen leaves that will make another layer to your garden and bear it into another season .
Happy horticulture !
— Jason Jorgensen is a landscape painting designer in Seattle .
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This hellebore catches the light among faded fall leaves.Photo: Steve Aitken
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Chartreuse and pink blend together on the petals of ‘Blackthorn Strain’.Photo: Jason Jorgensen
Jacob hellebore flowers are a bright, clear white.Photo: Jason Jorgensen
New shoots of black mondo grass and ‘Jacob’ hellebore grow together in this late-season combo.Photo: Jason Jorgensen
The blinding white reflection off of ‘Jacob’ hellebore flowers makes it a focal point even in a busy container with many other interesting plants like this.Photo: Jason Jorgensen
The deep pink of ‘Anna’s Red’ flowers is highlighted by even darker maroon foliage.Photo: Jason Jorgensen
