Thursday, April 1, 2010

Hallelujah Hellebores!



Hellebore are a spring garden must have. One of Victoria's favorite perennials, these beauties are deer-resistant, shade-tolerant plants that bloom March -April. The blooms often dry on the plant and remain well into the summer. And hellebore have nice foliage that add texture to the garden all season long.

(And we have them in stock!) Visit us on the corner of Rt. 213 and Cottekill Road in Rosendale, NY. Visit our website or call for directions (845) 658-9007.

"Sometimes referred to as 'Christmas Rose' or 'Lenten Rose', hellebores are the stars of the late winter/early spring garden. Plants generally bloom between December and March in cultivation, though some begin earlier, and others continue into April and May, particularly in gardens with colder spring climates. Nearly every garden has a spot for hellebores, and the plants will thrive in many different environments. Still, they remain unknown to many gardeners despite their toughness, beauty, hardiness, and wonderful habit of blooming in winter when most other plants remain dormant.

The majority of hellebores are deep rooted, stout plants. Acaulescent hybrids(many, but not all, involving Helleborus orientalis) are well-known for their thick, shiny green foliage. The large leaves may persist through winter, but not all plants are wintergreen in all climates. Once established, most hellebores make drought-tolerant plants, particularly if given some dappled shade in areas of long, hot and/or dry summers. Yet, despite the fact hellebores are almost invariably sold as shade plants, in most garden conditions they will perform their best if given some
sun. Many species grow wild in open meadows with only short grasses to shade the earth around them." -from hellebores.org

And they are also black walnut tolerant!