Hellebores

Three years ago, I planted a number of hellebores in an area of our yard that I, frankly, did not know what to do with because it got morning sun but was totally shaded in the afternoon. While I really love gardens and beautiful landscaping, I will readily admit that I am no landscape architect! I wanted the option to be able to offer hellebores for sale at some point and so I decided to do what I often do here at the farm… plant en masse!

This year has been the best year yet! Each year they have gotten lovelier, taller and produce more and more blooms. I’ve read that it can take up to 5 years for them to really be at their best so I’m looking forward to that. I love how they look like beautiful jewels in the landscape.

Hellebore Facts:

1. Hellebores are a clump forming herbaceous perennial that, depending on the type and region, bloom from winter through spring!
2. They take a few years to get settled and into their stride so be patient.
3. Hellebores like shade or part shade, rarely do they do well in full sun.
4. In late winter, trim off the old leaves (they will be looking tattered and rough). This is help to show off the flowers (actually their sepals), new leaves will take their place shortly.
5. Hellebore orientalis are often called Lenten Rose because they bloom around lent.
6. All parts are toxic to humans, so don’t eat them!
7. They often self seed but the resulting plant won’t be true to its parent.
8. Hellebore’s heads, more often than not, nod down instead of looking up.
9. The flowers of hellebores can be notorious for wilting but there are some solutions.

Hellebores can be such a sight for sore eyes when they make an appearance. After months of no color in the garden, their beauty and grace is very welcome! Therefore, the tendency is to want to bring them indoors to enjoy and thus can begin the heartbreak. You see, hellebores have a tendency to wilt within 24 hours, or even 2, of being cut. I’ve done extensive reading on this topic and even went so far recently to exclaim to a friend how you must pick them at the right stage, after the stamens have dropped and the seed pod has formed. Imagine my surprise and disappointment when I awoke the next morning to find a sad sight instead.

Immediately, I started reading, Philipa Craddock has a comprehensive post about keeping hellebore stems from wilting, and experimenting. I found that, for me, the most effective way to get them to not wilt is to follow the steps Mara, from The Farm at Oxford, set out in an instagram post. Obviously, this is not a super fast way to be able to make a quick bouquet but once you get them past the wilting stage, they will last a very long time in the vase!

1. Using a knife, I use my Opinel, score the stem in two places about 1/3 to 1/2 of the way up the stem.
2. Put them in very hot water (doesn’t need to be boiling) for about a minute.
3. Afterwards, put them in lukewarm water, up to their necks, overnight. If they survive the night, they are ready to be used in an arrangement.

If all else fails and the stems continue to wilt, snip the flower heads off, fill a bowl with water and float the flowers in it. It’s such a unique and wonderful way to really be able to enjoy the different colors, freckles and variations in the flowers!