On a recent morning walk, I spotted a few brave blossoms pushing up through the cold earth: my treasured hellebores. These plants, commonly called Lenten rose, are one of the few herbaceous perennials to bloom in the dead of winter. This time of year, you’ll often find me in my shade garden, oohing and aahing over the delicate nodding blossoms; and if we have company, I’ll make them get down low and experience the magic with me.
Available in a rainbow of muted hues, including eggplant, chartreuse, ivory, wine, crimson, peach, mauve, and even black—and with flowers in frilly doubles, speckled bicolors, delicately brush-marked picotees, and standard five-pointed stars—varieties are both beautiful and incredibly diverse. They are easy to grow, long lived, and require very little maintenance to thrive.
Hellebores…
