For the Love of Hellebores!

 I am sure that there are many of you who are in love with the hardy, modest, and subtley elegant Hellebore. I can still see their dark green leaves from the bay window, holding up in the snow. I would like to add many more next year because though they are refined, they are tough. Deer seem to stay away, and they bloom for a long time here in Maine. In their third year, the clumps have substantially grown into being a beautiful evergreen mass in shady areas.

Here is the lovely Helleborus Spring Promise Sandra in its second year. Lime green and white flowers that have rose freckles push up from the leaf rosettes in late fall and early spring. As the clump gets bigger it takes on more gravitas in its corner.

Here is another, the Helleborus ballardaie HGC Cinnamon Snow. This one is even more unassuming as the flowers start out quite dusty rose like the stems and underside of the leaf, but then mature into something paler.

Here are two more I am thinking of for this next year:

Helleborus x hybridus Swirling Skirts. This picture from Fraser's Thimble Farms

is just the beginning of what they have to offer.

and perhaps this pale beauty Helleborus x hybridus WD Pale Pink also available through Fraser's Thimble Farm.

Of course another great resource for Hellebores if you can't find what you need is White Flower Farm. They have many Hellebores to choose from and have a great mail order reputation. 

For more about the love of Hellebores, this Fine Gardening article will  satisfy!