In an English Garden - in February (I)

One of my own Helleborus orientalis hybrids (or H. hybridus as some people are starting to call it). I sowed a number of pots of seed from the Alpine Garden Society and basically let them get on with it, planting them out when I felt they were big enough to fend for themselves outside. They have grown very well in the front border which is north facing and fairly shady. I put a fair amount of bark, spent mushroom compost etc to try and improve the rather dry poor soil. The hellebores (hybridus and sternii) have done very well. Typically the Winter Rose, Helloborus niger, has not established and oddly the original H.hybridus plant I bought which gave me the idea of getting in some seed to create a big display, died out after a few years.

Another lovely H. hybridus seedling. Most of my plants are dark purples, but the range of colours is increasing as a number of breeders work on them. Whites, including whites with dark purple spotting, through red to black purple are common. People are working on producing strong yellows, doubles and outward facing flatter flowers.

Above left, yet another H. hybridus seedling. They are now starting to seed themselves and in a few years their progeny will add to the early spring display. Above right, one of my H. sternii in full flower.