Early Hellebores

Discussion in 'Flower Gardening' started by Jewell, Feb 3, 2015.

  1. Jewell

    Jewell Incorrigible Gardener Plants Contributor

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    Most of the hellebores are just in buds but a couple of plants are early bloomers. One unnamed variety is in full bloom now. I purchased the plants for their interesting leaf to add interest to a dark corner of my woodland area. They have really taken off and have multiplied in size.

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    Early hellebores ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

    This one used to be my earliest bloomer, one of the madi gras series of doubles. I was totally in love with the doubles for a few years.

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    Madi Gras hellebore ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )

    This hellebore is one of the many self sown plants that I have moved. They take many years to mature. This one is pretty much hidden as the hostas under a very thorny rose.

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    Self sown hellebore ( photo / image / picture from Jewell's Garden )
     
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  3. cherylad

    cherylad Countess of Cute-ification Plants Contributor

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    Each look like pretty glimpses of hope that spring will soon be here! :stew2:
     
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  4. waretrop

    waretrop Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    OMG! This should be illegal. It is a natural high seeing all these wonderful flowers. I am definitely addicted...
     
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  5. stratsmom

    stratsmom Flower Fanatic

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    I have fallen in love with them too :p I bought one, it died :'( I smuggled one home on the airplane from Atlanta and it bloomed last summer!! No buds on it yet but I'm crossing my fingers!! How do you think these would do if I threw out some seeds?
     
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  6. Jewell

    Jewell Incorrigible Gardener Plants Contributor

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    We haven't had any winter so glad to share Barb and Cherylad :stew2:

    Deanna, I would think seeding hellebores would be a great idea. Maybe do it into outdoor pots. They say that the seeds should be prechilled. Do a little Internet research. I am sure you will get some good information. I was given seedlings for my first plants but they didn't live. I am sure your new hellebore will bloom again and give you a surplus of seeds and seedlings.
     
  7. stratsmom

    stratsmom Flower Fanatic

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    That is what I'm hoping ;)
     
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  8. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    Jewell & everybody-- I don't know what I love more, Jewell's hellebores or everyone comments about them!!

    I keep wanting to buy some hellebores but keep getting put off by the price ($15- 23-32!). I saw one in Trader Joes before Christmas for $9.99 & snapped it up. I have heeled it in outside & hope it will make it through the winter.

    Deanna & Jewell, I like your idea of trying them from seed.
     
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  9. Netty

    Netty Chaotic Gardener Plants Contributor

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    Beautiful! I have always been put off by the price of them here too, but I am also lacking the shade they need.
     
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  10. Kay

    Kay Girl with Green Thumbs

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    Jewell, your Hellebores are so pretty, and it's great to see some life in the garden.
    Think you'll escape this winter without storms or snow?
    I was beginning to think we might, it has been mild (except one cold snap earlier) But now- lots of winter here snow snow snow ice and wind! Brrrr
    I'm actually happy to have the snow cover. I'm so lucky to be able to stay home, and gaze out at my snow covered gardens from the windows.
    So- I love to see your pretty woodland garden blooms! :stew1:
     
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  11. Jewell

    Jewell Incorrigible Gardener Plants Contributor

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    CM, your $9 is about the prices that the single flowered hellebores have been around here. I think we're are very lucky to have some great commercial nurseries to the north of here. The selection of narcissus and hellebores has been quite impressive in the stores here then last few years.

    Last spring Costco had a group of three for $18. That is the first photo. It is always a treasure hunt finding a decent price. My doubles were the $9 price but I think they were mismarked because when I went back they had changed the tags and increased by a multiple of 2.
     
  12. Cayuga Morning

    Cayuga Morning Strong Ash Plants Contributor

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    Jewell, good to know. I will keep my eye out for good buys. Maybe hellebores will "drift down" to the big box stores on the east coast in time. So far I have only seen them in the specialty garden stores.
     
  13. 2ofus

    2ofus Hardy Maple

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    I think they are beautiful flowers and the foliage is pretty also. I've wanted to plant some but I read that all parts of the plant is poisonous and I have a small dog that likes to nibble on plants. Would these hurt her?
     
  14. Jewell

    Jewell Incorrigible Gardener Plants Contributor

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    CM, so sad that the big box stores aren't carrying hellebores in your area. I love our local nurseries and they sometimes have good deals on smaller plants of hellebores.

    2ofus, I have one little dog that seems to eat everything. image.jpg He's a resued guy that had only been kept indoors (an apartment dog). I grow lots of really posinous plants and he has never bothered them. We've had three generations of dogs and have never had any health problems. All have lived well into their teens. image.jpg

    Now keeping the dogs out of my edible pod peas is another story. o_O I think most poisonous plants don't taste good, or are not as poisonous as some lists suggest. (I've seen lists that say onions and garlic are poisonous to dogs...but I've never seen a dog get sick on leftover stew or soup containing those). I also have a small orchard with mixed weeds the dogs will sometimes graze on. They are actually more selective than you would think. Keeping the dogs out of the blueberries and raspberries can also be a challenge.

    I have started growing wheat (grass) in the garden for the dogs to try and keep them out of my fine ornamental grasses. This time of year they love to sneak cole crop leaves. The big dog will pull up the kale and Brussels sprout trunks to chew on. image.jpg

    One thing to be very careful with is RoundUp. This is highly toxic to pets especially is they get into the area you have sprayed within the first day. Man made chemicals have been much more toxic to pets than anything you could grow.

    All this said, remember your comfort zone. Parenting styles differ widely and our pets are much like our children.
     

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