Tag Archives: Hellebores

Flowers of Frost and Freezes

Posted on February 25, 2024 by Dallas Garden Buzz

February 25, 2024

In our Zone 8 climate they are not only survivors of winter’s chill but soon after a January freeze, Hellebores lift their lovely heads and shower us with an abundance of February color. Starting now and continuing into late March and early April, refresh your home by selectively snipping and arranging their decorative blossoms. 

A close-up of a flower Description automatically generated

If you aren’t already growing Hellebores in your garden, now is a really good time to give them a try. Many of our local garden centers currently have a wide selection of varieties with colors ranging from ivory and pale green to pink and dark burgundy. You might find comfort in knowing that the symbolic meaning of hellebores includes peace, serenity and tranquility.

My hellebores were planted three years ago and were used to make each of the featured arrangements. However, this was my first time to use hellebores as a cut flower, but it won’t be my last. It has been impressive to see how well their strong and sturdy stems hold up when anchored in a “frog-type” holder. 

Here are my top three reasons for growing hellebores:

  1. During the dreary backdrop of winter, hellebores bring joy to your garden with a rainbow of beautiful colors. 
  2. As a cut flower, hellebores hold up well and can be arranged in unique and beautiful ways.
  3. As you can see from the photos, hellebores provide honeybees with a much-needed nectar source when options are extremely limited.

Linda Alexander, Dallas County Master Gardener class of 2008

Other Hellebore articles from our archives:

Hellebores

Lenten Rose

Helleborus, ‘Glenda’s Gloss’ will be planted
along the wavy wall in memory of Raincatcher’s volunteer
and dear friend, Glenda Nix. She was loved and is missed.

Leave a comment

Posted in Winter and tagged , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Hellebores, Helleborus x hybridus

Posted on March 2, 2020 by Dallas Garden Buzz

Above: 10 Hellebores were planted here 20 years ago

Twenty years ago a California couple bought a house in a heavily wooded area of Dallas because of the beautiful Cedar Elm trees.

As they set about landscaping the shady lot, Hellebores were chosen being easy-care perennials that brighten winter landscapes and prefer partial shade. We will read later about the other good qualities of Hellebores also known as Lenten Roses.

From a few Hellebores came many. Over the years they have self-seeded and now carpet the south side of the property. Linda Alexander and I had the pleasure of walking through this garden recently with the homeowners.

Above: Hellebores under Cedar Elms

Above: A view of the Hellebore garden from the street

Above: A shady bed of Hellebores, Cast Iron Plant and Ophiopogon

These are the seedlings beneath the large leaves, it takes 3 years for these to become blooming plants.

Hellebore seedlings

Husband and wife say they mulch and leave the rest up to nature. In the last few years, husband has sprayed Miracle-Gro on the Hellebores in the spring. Every year they add mulch. Wife adds this has been their most successful gardening project.

Hellebore blooms dazzle in a variety of colors including green, white, yellow, red, black, and many variations of pink and purple. They bloom in this garden from January-March.

Pink Hellebore

More about Hellebores

  • Timing-it’s  nice to have  winter flowers and blooms that last so long
  • Beauty-nodding, cup shaped flowers, with enchanting colors
  •  Reproduction-Hellebores are self-sowing and will naturalize to make large clumps. The offspring are not always like the parent; surprises welcome!
  •  Location-Dappled shade is preferred but they can survive in full shade or with some sun. They grow in almost any kind of soil except except the extremes of overly dry soil or poorly drained wet soil.
  • Evergreen-glossy dark green multi-lobed leaves with a serrated edge and leathery texture. You may want to remove the tattered leaves during fall clean-up.

Ann Lamb

Fine Gardening gives excellent advice on growing Hellebores. Good advice: to get what you want, buy them in bloom.

If you would like to use Hellebores as a cut flower, read this article from Gardenista.

 

 

 

 

2 Comments

Posted in Winter and tagged , , , . Bookmark the permalink.