Talkback: Oriental hellebore

Gardeners' World Web User · April 2015

I have never grown hellebores before this year, and now i remember why. Agreed, the flowers are beautiful, but unless you are a worm on the ground beneath them, looking up, you cannot see their beauty. [Unless you handle them, of course] To me, they just look wilted and sad. Still, maybe when they clump up a bit, they'll look better. I hope so anyway.

Gardeners' World Web User · February 2008

I agree hellebores are underrated. They are lovely and all the more so because they flower at this time of year. Some of mine have been out for a few weeks whilst others are yet to come. I noticed I have several seedlings. I wonder what colours they will be? White and yellow colours dominate at present,the darker reds are just coming into bud.

Gardeners' World Web User · February 2008

Wasn't is Ashwood Nurseries near Kingswinford that are developing the upward-facing flowerheads?

Gardeners' World Web User · February 2008

I was a bit uncertain about the flowering of my hellebore. I bought a 6-pack one from the local garden centre. They were small and I was assured they would flower around jan-march. I bought them for a friend who wanted a flower to plant in bloom in memory of someone who had died.

However after planting them nothing has happened. I keep looking at photos of hellebores thinking it should look like that but they haven't flowered and aren,t showing any signs of flowering.
Any suggestions.

Gardeners' World Web User · February 2008

You need to keep them well watered and feed them regularly in the summer to encourage them to flower in the winter. I have a number of helebores that I planted in spring/summer 2006, they did nothing last year but this year they are a mass of flowers.
Another tip is to remove most of the big leaves when they start to flower so you get a better view of them.

Gardeners' World Web User · February 2008

Can you divide the clumps? If so when would be the best time to do it?

Gardeners' World Web User · February 2008

I too have been admiring my Helebore, which has been blooming for 2 or 3 weeks is beautiful but remains very small even though in its third year. I believe known as the lenten flower, or easter lily, and as it has been blooming early, do you think the plant knows that lent is early this year!!!?, but more importantly, what should I feed to encourage growth?

Gardeners' World Web User · February 2008

I feed mine with a high nitrogen fertilizer in the summer to encourage leaf growth - I use sulphate of ammonia sprinkled round the plants at the rate stated on the packet and forked into the surface. I would also water it in if the soil is dry.

Then in the autumn and winter I would switch to a high potash fertilizer, such as tomato food, to promote flowering.

Gardeners' World Web User · February 2008

I have a border just outside the house and most of the day in its shadow. The Hellebores love it there though and we can see them from the window. Mine are mostly dark coloured (one is almost black) and I have planted snowdrops among them. A lovely contrast. Later in the year I will plant some little begonias there for the summer.

Gardeners' World Web User · February 2008

I shall be leaving the uk in 2009 to live in Czech Republic and love Hellebores. The temperature has been -20 there for the past week and I wondered if these wonderful flowers had any chance of surviving in these very cold conditions.

Gardeners' World Web User · March 2008

I have just redesigned a border to incorporate hellebores and hostas. The plants really complement each other and the hellebores make me smile every time I see the beautiful variety of the blooms.

Talkback: Oriental hellebore

Posts