Hellebores are tough shade plants that bloom in the winter. They are drought tolerant and deer tolerant. There are many new hybrids being developed from the old standard Helleborus orientalis.

Helleborus ‘Madame Lemonnier’

Helleborus ‘Royal Heritage’

Helleborus ‘Cherry Blossom’

Helleborus ‘Black Diamond’

Helleborus ‘Pink Frost’

Helleborus ‘Anna’s Red’

Corsican Hellebore (Helleborus argutifolius)
These Hellebores are more tolerant to sun and to drought than the Helleborus orientalis hybrids. They have a more grey-green color in the landscape. The flowers are light green in color.

Helleborus argutifolius ‘Pacific Frost’

Bear’s-Foot Hellebore (Helleborus foetidus). Native to the cooler west and Central Europe. Often reseeds but not a major problem.

Since Hellebores are evergreen they bloom with the leaves surrounding the flowers and sometimes partially hiding them. So some gardeners cut off the leaves in January so the flowers will be more visible. In March or April the flowers can be cut back as the new leaves emerge.

These are 2 plantings of Hellebores at Dawn Gardens; they are not the new hybrids but over time I will replace them with some new hybrids. In general the new hybrids have brighter colored flowers and flowers that point more upwards.

 

Here are a few of the new hybrids that I will plant in the near future.

Helleborus ‘Double Fantasy’

Helleborus ‘HGC Champion’

Helleborus argutifolius ‘Pacific Frost’

Seedlings of Hellebores can sometimes be a problem unless you want to dig them up and sell them or give them away. These seedlings will develop into Helleborus orientalis with white or pink flowers.