Cold Climate Gardening

One is H. niger and the other is H. orientalis. It’s the niger that is blooming now. The O blooms closer to Easter. The ‘Lady’ series is H x hybridus Lady. To paraphrase an article in BBC Gardener’s World, “Exciting colour options are now available to gardeners with the introduction of a new series of […]

[Read more →]

Do you know which hellebores you have? Is it H. niger? I’m not familiar with the ‘Lady’ series.

[Read more →]

Mine aren’t in a sheltered spot and they are subject to wind almost every day that comes from the south. After a very mild late summer and early fall, the temps plunged without benefit of snow cover. The Hellebores fell over and looked quite forlorn and as soon as the weather moderated, they lifted their […]

[Read more →]

I had always thought you were in Zone 4, Ro, but when I consult my most detailed copy of the USDA Hardiness Zone map (which I got in an old issue of Fine Gardening) I see you actually are listed as Zone 5. Not that the map is the last word on what zone you […]

[Read more →]

Now that you have been reviewed, and someone has complimented your writing and synergy, I hate to wreck it by by my disjointed off topic rambling. This is probably the last time I post, since I am very, very pregnant.
I spent a lot of time working out my seed order, knowing that I […]

[Read more →]

So, Lynda, they really do bloom in the snow, unlike snowdrops or crocus, which wait until March for me? How important is snow cover? If you have good snow cover, the soil doesn’t freeze and I guess I can see how they might bloom. But what about if the ground freezes solid and there’s no […]

[Read more →]

Finally, some snow to make the yard look pristine. 12/26 and the Hellebores by the back door are poking their dainty pink heads above the snow. It’s always fun when someone pulls into the drive not familiar with ‘Christmas’ or ‘Lenten’ roses. It can be 30 degrees and a foot of snow on the ground […]

[Read more →]