Thursday, March 4, 2010

More

More hellebores, that is.


I love these plants and for years wanted them in our garden.  This is the first hellebore I found - at a garage sale.


Even though it's not one of the 'beautiful' ones, I like the green on green in its flowers.  They are such unusual looking flowers and will stay just like this for months. 


Sometimes, critters come to visit and since it's quite big are usually safe from discovery.  .  Eventually, the heavy stem collapses and, voila!  there are new little plants forming nearby.  Now I know why I found it in that sale.


You've already met 'Ivory Prince'...now, I present 'Hot Flash'.  She is a bit of a late bloomer and just getting started now.  Her leaves are very prickly - like holly but not so stiff.


And she has a lovely blush.  She is not as robust-looking and stands a bit shorter at about 8 inches. 


I was really surprised to learn that the hellebore is a member of the Buttercup family.  No, wait!  Buttercup is the bane of my garden life.  Each year, it's a never-ending war just to look like I'm in control.

But, I have to admit it: I'm in love with Bad Buttercup's cool cousin.

12 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

I don't think I've ever seen hellebore, but how unusual! And great shots. The one with green blooms is just strange. I love buttercups, and my husband dug some up out of the grass and put them in our flowerbed for me. Now I can have the buttercups and he can mow.

Jeannette StG said...

This variety of hellebore is quite lovely -I love the colors or them! I "hear" but don't take my word word it, that it's hard to eradicate them.

Anonymous said...

Lovely varieties are around this year and there were tons of them in the planters downtown. They bloom for quite awhile.

Unknown said...

I planted three hellebores in one of my gardens last year and I can hardly wait to see if they made it through the winter. I don't expect to know for a couple more months, though. I very much like the green on green but 'Ivory Prince' is stunning! I've never heard that hellebores can overrun a garden...but that may be because it's way to cold here for them to be prolific.

Rudee said...

Your photographs are absolutely beautiful. They make me long for spring. The only sign here are the frisky squirrels.

Angie said...

Don't think we can grow them here so have really enjoyed looking. I liked buttercups when I was a kid growing uo in the UK.

aspiritofsimplicity said...

I think these look familiar but I can't quite remember them in a garden.

April said...

What beautiful plants you have growing in your garden. I'm missing all the greenery here right now, but it'll come.

Anil P said...

The protective petals opening out in cup-shape is always a great sight. It's almost like a curtain lifting on a drama, only here it is nature's drama.

Lindy said...

I don't believe I've seen these before but the colors are amazing!

Anonymous said...

I'd never heard of this plant until I happened on another post ... perhaps here? They are fascinating.
Hugs and blessings,

Maria Berg said...

Totally green hellebore interesting! MB

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