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Hellebore Addiction
Dovefromabove
Posts: 88,109
in Plants
In the space of a few weeks I've acquired 4 hellebores! In my last garden I had one H. Niger that did quite well, and in a garden I had back in the '80s I had a couple, they were lovely and I enjoyed them, but I didn't feel the need to do any more than pot up little seedlings and bring them on and give them to friends.
Now, since 'meeting' some of you (you know who you are 
) I get an uncontrollable urge to buy a hellebore whenever I see one.
I now have H Niger 'Christmas Carol', H Niger 'Snow Love', H Lividus 'Silver Edge' and today's acquisition H. orientalis 'Tutu'.
They're all still in their pots - I'm planning to plant them in the shady bank under one of the ash trees - any tips, comments, suggestions?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
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I've not grown any of those you mention, they all sound very nice. I had Helleborus viridus planted 'en masse' in my last garden, the flowers are all green and I liked that very much, under shrubs, but my favourite is argutifolius as it has such large leaves, serrated, and makes a big imposing plant - seeds everywhere but I used to cut the flowers off after they had faded to prevent some of that... I must get another one now...
I enjoy the lighter flower colours best, whites, yellows, not so much the dark ones...
Just the thin end of the wedge Dove.
Salino much as I love those really dark ones I think the lighter ones have more impact in the garden
In the sticks near Peterborough
I only have two....but I collected some seed a few years ago and this year one of the babies looks like it may flower
Here is the mummy plant (bit difficult to take pics!)
the baby bud looks pink...daddy plant is a pink double so I can't wait to see what the baby flowers look like....
Easy to see why we get addicted. I think the early flowering comes into it as well. By the time the hellebores come out we're so grateful to see them as a sign of approaching spring
In the sticks near Peterborough
Dove - I've got a tutu! Feel like I'm playing gardening snap!!
Cheerypeabrain that really is a lovely colour.
Dove it would be great to see some pics.
Verdun you are right I want them all, have ordered double green and double yellow which will arrive later in the month so should be good by next winter.
A couple of weeks back one grew from nothing- I thought the one that had been there had died. It's another purple. I'm so pleased with the find.
Does anyone have experience of H lividus? On the label it says it is hardy, and indeed it's been out in its pot in the garden for the past month, all be it in a sheltered spot. However stuff I read on the web tells me it should be in a pot in a cold greenhouse
Your comments?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Morning Dove
I grew some from seed, probably should have kept them protected for thefirst winter but I didn't and they died.
In the sticks near Peterborough