There are so many new varieties of hellebores now available, and these plants make perfect gifts for gardeners.
Some hellebores have the common name of Christmas rose because they bloom as early as December and January. The ones called Lenten Roses bloom later in the winter. Once established these plants are really self-sufficient. The only real chore is to cut off the leaves that have turned brown during the winter and this is an easy task once the weather warms up in the spring.
In early spring when there are no garden flowers available, I am so grateful when I look under the leathery leaves of my hellebores and find flowers to pick for the house. It is a wonderful joy. Although they do not last long indoors in a vase, they do last well floating in a bowl of water. Any small bowl, even a cereal bowl will do. Cut the stems off the individual flowers and they will float with upturned faces so that their unique characteristics are revealed. Sometimes, I put small leaves next to the flowers in a bowl, and other times I just fill the water in the bowl completely with flowers, if I have enough of them.
Once established in a garden, hellebore plants increase in size and come back reliably with no fuss or bother year after year, and the deer and rabbits ignore them. They are like jewels in the winter landscape, and the plants make wonderful holiday gifts that keep on giving.
This is Moya Andrews, and today we focused on hellebore flowers.
