Hellebores are starting to flower in the garden here. Some are still just small buds, but this one has been in flower for a few weeks. This is one of the Helleborus Gold Collection, HGC ‘Shooting Star’.
I particularly like this hellebore for the way that its flowers are held more upright than most hellebores. It makes it so much easier to see the flowers – and to photograph them too.
(My other hellebores are difficult to see properly in the garden. You really have to take the time to turn the flower head upwards if you want to look at the detail. But that has the advantage of making you get close to the flower and actually touch it, rather than just passing it by. So they’re all good!)
For the moment, this plant is in a pot, which has made it easy to take it indoors to photograph it. But it would probably be happier in a border where it has a bit more space. Later I will plant it out – when I find it a slightly shady spot where it won’t get too hot in summer.
As a winter and early spring flowering plant, hellebores are a great treat in the garden. They start flowering when much of the rest of the planting is either dead foliage or shoots that are not yet ready to emerge. And their beautiful flowers have an exotic look – much bigger and more showy than the other winter flowers. If I get the chance to go shopping in a garden centre while they’re still available, I know I’m going to be very tempted to buy more.
Ann Mackay: Inspired by Nature 
I’ve come to really like hellebores, especially since finding there’s so many different flower forms. There’s a hellebore specialist not that far from where we live. They’re not retail but once a year they open for a day or two to the public.
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That specialist must be a wonderful place to visit! When we can eventually get out and about again, I’m going to make the most of the chance to visit gardens and nurseries etc. I’ve really missed them this year!
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🖤
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Thank you! 🙂
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I looked and looked at these, and even though they aren’t native here, they seemed somehow familiar. Well, I should say! They belong to the Ranunculaceae , or buttercup family, and that’s exactly what they remind me of: one of the larger buttercups that we have. They are lovely. It must be quite a pleasure to have them beginning to bloom.
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The buttercup family is full of beauties, including my favourite plants – clematis! Your local buttercup sounds like it must be lovely. Hellebores are something special for this time of year, especially as there’s so little else around. They can be expensive in the garden centres but can often be found at reasonable prices in nurseries – worth every penny! 🙂
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There’s nothing boring about a hellebore, Ann. 🙂 Ours are a few weeks away yet so lovely to see yours.
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Thanks Steve! I have a couple more which are a bit later. I’m awaiting them with eager anticipation!
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Yes, hellebores are a welcome treat at this time of year even though they are a bit self-effacing, normally keeping their heads down so we can’t quite appreciate their beauty. The one you feature here looks seems more willing flaunt her good looks…very attractive.
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Her attempt at flauntiness (?) was one of the things that made me buy her. I have a little bit of a raised area retained by a low wall, and hellebores could be seen more easily there. So I plant to use that for hellebores, if I can evict the Japanese anemones already there.
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Lovely, Anna! I have seen green hellebores on one of my visit to CA, Us 🙂 You have worked on these images beautifully!!!
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Thanks for the lovely comment Indira! I can remember that there were green hellebores in the garden of my parents’ last house. I really liked those – they would look great in a very natural looking garden.
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When I visit my daughter in Germany, usually in October or November, I am always impressed (and envious) of the dozens of hellebores blooming in pots at all the grocery stores, florist shops, and farmers markets. I always wish I could take some home in my suitcase, because they are rarely found for sale in our area. Last year, I ordered two new ones and planted them, but they didn’t seem to grow much over the summer and fall. Hoping they return. I do have some mature plants on the Fairy Slope, double whites and a few dark maroon singles, so I am not without but they don’t bloom until mid to late March. Your photograph is lovely.
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Thank you Carolee! My hellebores don’t grow much over the warmer seasons – I think they do their growing through winter and spring, but I don’t know much yet because I haven’t had any of these for long.
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A nice subject to photograph.
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One of my favourites! 🙂
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Lovely flower Ann – never seen one before, as I am not as much into gardening as most of your viewers. But I do know the images are spot on sharp and beautiful!
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Thanks Syd! Creating images that give a bit of pleasure is my aim! 🙂
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