Look what I found: Hellebore xhybridus

Hellebores, or Lenten Roses, are quite trendy these days.  I'm not sure if it's because they were named perennial plant of the year in 2005, because "winter interest" has become such a focus in garden design, or because these wonderful plants are finally getting their due.  You might not be able to find them at Home Depot, but most specialty garden centers or perennial catalogs will have them (and the varieties available are spectacular).

In my experience, hellebores will grow about 1.5 feet tall and about 1.5 feet wide.  They are one of the first plants to bloom in the garden, starting in February or March and lasting until June.  Flower colors range from white, through pinks and purples, all the way to black.  Most blooms are tinged with green or have freckles.  Since the nodding blossoms face down it can be difficult to fully appreciate them.  Many people cut the flowers and float them in bowls of water.

Hellebores are very easy to grow and do not required extra coddling or watering.  Mine have always seemed to thrive on neglect.  Once the plants are done blooming, their leathery, evergreen leaves add texture to the garden throughout the fall and winter.  I trim the most battered leaves back in the early spring, but you don't have to.  At the old house, I had a couple of Lenten Roses in a fairly sunny foundation bed.  Now, I have a grove of them deep in the woods.  They didn't seem to mind the sun, but most sources agree they do better in partial or full shade.  It doesn't seem like the deer bother them at all, which is great.

You might be wondering why I'm posting about these plants now instead of earlier in the year.  There are a few reasons:

1. I didn't have a blog when they first started blooming
2. I knew they'd be blooming for a while, so I wasn't in a rush to post about them
3. I'm most excited about seed pods forming in the center of the flowers

Seriously - when they first started blooming, I was excited, but now I check them at least three times a week to see whether the seeds are getting close to being mature.  As soon as those seed pods turn brown, I'll be able to collect the seeds.  I'll direct sow some in the woods and try to grow the rest indoors over the winter.

Other efforts to expand the Hellebore grove include ordering two Lenten roses from Bluestone: Ivory Prince and a double flowered variety.  I also purchased three hellebore foetidus (Stinking Hellebores) at the William Paca House plant sale.  Stinking hellebores don't really smell bad unless you crush their leaves.  They're a little bigger than the hybrid hellebores and have really interesting lacy foliage.  Their flowers are typically smaller than regular hellebores and are usually chartreuse green.