| Have you discovered Hellebores yet? They bloom from winter through spring (up to 5 months in mild climates!), love those shady moist spots that make many other plants succumb to mildew, resist every hardship from drought to pests, and live a long, long, long time. Garden experts say they "should be more widely used." I say they're a gardener's dream! Also called Lenten Roses or Christmas Roses (for their winter bloomtime), Hellebores sport 2- to 2 1/2-inch flowers of a rounded, cupped shape and highly unusual colors. Our Royal Heritage™ strain contains some of the clearest, most striking hues of all, from a near-black maroon to a green-influenced white that glows like a friendly ghost in the gray light of February. For some reason, the colors in this strain always remind me of old-fashioned Christmas decorations -- those dusky roses, deep maroons, and apple greens you don't see so much these days. Royal Heritage™ Hellebores form bushy, clump-shaped plants 1 1/2 feet tall and slightly wider. They can tolerate some sun, but need plenty of shade for best flowering. We hand-selected this strain right here in South Carolina, so Royal Heritage™ is super-tolerant of heat, humidity, and drought -- it will stay evergreen through the hottest summer months, with dark, slightly toothy leaves that make a nice accent in the shade garden. This plant takes a year or two to establish, but once in place, it flourishes for years! Remarkably tolerant of soil variation (even clay!), it needs only good drainage. Colors include dark maroon, dusty rose, deep pink, pale green, dark red, primrose, yellow, and white, many freckled and mottled. Zones 4-9. |
