Talkback: Oriental hellebore - Talkback

07/02/2008 at 18:13

I have never grown hellebores before this year, and now i remember why. Agreed, the flowers are beautiful, but unless you are a worm on the ground beneath them, looking up, you cannot see their beauty. [Unless you handle them, of course] To me, they just look wilted and sad. Still, maybe when they clump up a bit, they'll look better. I hope so anyway.

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07/02/2008 at 19:56

I agree hellebores are underrated. They are lovely and all the more so because they flower at this time of year. Some of mine have been out for a few weeks whilst others are yet to come. I noticed I have several seedlings. I wonder what colours they will be? White and yellow colours dominate at present,the darker reds are just coming into bud.

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07/02/2008 at 22:18

Wasn't is Ashwood Nurseries near Kingswinford that are developing the upward-facing flowerheads?

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08/02/2008 at 09:25

I was a bit uncertain about the flowering of my hellebore. I bought a 6-pack one from the local garden centre. They were small and I was assured they would flower around jan-march. I bought them for a friend who wanted a flower to plant in bloom in memory of someone who had died.

However after planting them nothing has happened. I keep looking at photos of hellebores thinking it should look like that but they haven't flowered and aren,t showing any signs of flowering. Any suggestions.

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08/02/2008 at 19:21

You need to keep them well watered and feed them regularly in the summer to encourage them to flower in the winter. I have a number of helebores that I planted in spring/summer 2006, they did nothing last year but this year they are a mass of flowers. Another tip is to remove most of the big leaves when they start to flower so you get a better view of them.

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10/02/2008 at 19:08

Can you divide the clumps? If so when would be the best time to do it?

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10/02/2008 at 21:21

I too have been admiring my Helebore, which has been blooming for 2 or 3 weeks is beautiful but remains very small even though in its third year. I believe known as the lenten flower, or easter lily, and as it has been blooming early, do you think the plant knows that lent is early this year!!!?, but more importantly, what should I feed to encourage growth?

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11/02/2008 at 16:22

I feed mine with a high nitrogen fertilizer in the summer to encourage leaf growth - I use sulphate of ammonia sprinkled round the plants at the rate stated on the packet and forked into the surface. I would also water it in if the soil is dry.

Then in the autumn and winter I would switch to a high potash fertilizer, such as tomato food, to promote flowering.

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11/02/2008 at 18:44

I have a border just outside the house and most of the day in its shadow. The Hellebores love it there though and we can see them from the window. Mine are mostly dark coloured (one is almost black) and I have planted snowdrops among them. A lovely contrast. Later in the year I will plant some little begonias there for the summer.

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17/02/2008 at 17:16

I shall be leaving the uk in 2009 to live in Czech Republic and love Hellebores. The temperature has been -20 there for the past week and I wondered if these wonderful flowers had any chance of surviving in these very cold conditions.

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29/03/2008 at 17:37

I have just redesigned a border to incorporate hellebores and hostas. The plants really complement each other and the hellebores make me smile every time I see the beautiful variety of the blooms.

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08/05/2008 at 23:25

Oh how I agree. Hellebores are a joy to grow. Obliging,satisfying and very beautiful. Be patient they will grow taller and stronger each year.

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10/05/2008 at 10:22

I have had a wonderful display from my Hellebores from late winter until the recent warm weather. They are planted in a large pot in semi-shade. However, they have now wilted. Does anybody know whether I should cut them back completely and repot them or simply feed and water them through the summer?

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16/06/2008 at 21:24

I planted a young hellebore about 8 weeks ago. It is a very plain one with green flowers and is very attractive with silvery foliage. When I looked at it today it has keeled over and it's tip is pointing towards the ground. I cannot see what has caused this - it looked lovely a couple of days ago. Anyone have any ideas?

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17/07/2008 at 14:30

To Linda moving to the UK. I live in zone 5 in the US & my hellebores do fine here. We have winters possibly colder than the Czech Rep. I think & mine grow easily with minimal care. To Liz- Young plants can take several yrs before they bloom- just give them some time...

Gardeners' World Web User

19/08/2008 at 21:44

Thank you Meghan, for the tip. I bought a Helleborus Niger this summer and there were some self seeded plants in the pot with it. Now I will know to be patient and not give up on it even if it doesn't flower in the first year. Can I also look forward to different colors from the seedlings ?

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28/11/2011 at 18:30

I know just what you mean. I have a beautiful, pure white one, which is a mass of flowers and it is right outside my lounge window. So whilst I can't look into the flowers from inside the house I do have the joy of seeing such a lovely plant every day.

I also have a deep red one further down the front garden and three or four others in varying shades of pink and white in my back garden. Another feature I love about them is the ease at which they self seed and the surprise you have to look forward to when the self seeded ones flower for the first time as you have no idea what colour the flowers will be. You are right, hellebores really are a joy to behold.

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