The hellebores are still blooming

 

The hellebores continue to bloom and some are not open yet, even though it is about ten weeks since the first one bloomed for the season.  They give a great display over winter and I am really enjoying seeing all the seedlings I took from Mum’s old garden flower, with each one a little different. 

On a recent trip to see Mum we gifted each other purchased hellebores.  Mum bought me a Kiwi Gold selection named Winter Rose that has upward facing flowers and I’ve planted this under the blackboy peach trees.  I bought Mum a yellow seedling from Terry Hatch’s nursery.  I have a yellow Terry Hatch seedling establishing close to the winter sweet and it’s a tall variety with a good number of blooms this year.  It set seed last year and the new seedlings are just showing themselves now so it will be interesting to see if all the off spring are yellow.

 

Many gardeners weed out their hellebore seedlings but I think there are opportunities to create an attractive display from seedling grown plants rather than just named hellebores.  Being on a budget doesn’t allow such indulgences anyway.

This week the yellow plum tree is showing its first flowers and there is colour just showing on my young Camellia Takanini.  I am still pruning the last of the roses – I am at the farm everyday at present feeding calves so that only allows an hour or so in the garden when it is fine.