I've been fascinated by these plants, and now that y'all are discussing them
I remember yet again that I'd like to have some.

How are they grown/started? Can they be started from seed?

When are they planted out?

What happens when it snows like this--do they wait to bloom until the snow
is melted or do they just miss a year? Sounds silly, doesn't it, but I'm
mystified by a plant that blooms basically in the winter!

Betsy -0 wrote:
: I've been fascinated by these plants, and now that y'all are discussing them
: I remember yet again that I'd like to have some.

: How are they grown/started? Can they be started from seed?

: When are they planted out?

: What happens when it snows like this--do they wait to bloom until the snow
: is melted or do they just miss a year? Sounds silly, doesn't it, but I'm
: mystified by a plant that blooms basically in the winter!

You don't mention what Zone you're in. I haven't started them from seed,
although that's doable. They are pretty rugged plants once they're
established and will bloom from 3-4 months from late winter/early spring
here in my corner of Zone 5 (which combines tropical summers with Arctic,
snowless winters). An early warm spring and then a very cold snap can
injure them but they're pretty tough. During a long, cold winter they
bide their time like everything else and bloom when they're ready

A good place to go drool over Hellebores is Sunshine Farm and Gardens:
http://www.sunfarm.com/ Great photo galleries! It's a wholesale nursery
but they do some mailorder retail.

-- Karen

The Garden Gate http://garden-gate.prairienet.org
================================================== =================
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
^and cats -- Cicero
================================================== =================
On the Web since 1994 Forbes Best of Web 2002

Hi, I'm in Baltimore. I am not sure whether this is zone 6 or 7.

I'm off to visit sunfarm. Thanks for the site!

"Karen Fletcher" wrote in message
...
Betsy -0 wrote:
: I've been fascinated by these plants, and now that y'all are discussing
them
: I remember yet again that I'd like to have some.

: How are they grown/started? Can they be started from seed?

: When are they planted out?

: What happens when it snows like this--do they wait to bloom until the
snow
: is melted or do they just miss a year? Sounds silly, doesn't it, but
I'm
: mystified by a plant that blooms basically in the winter!

You don't mention what Zone you're in. I haven't started them from seed,
although that's doable. They are pretty rugged plants once they're
established and will bloom from 3-4 months from late winter/early spring
here in my corner of Zone 5 (which combines tropical summers with Arctic,
snowless winters). An early warm spring and then a very cold snap can
injure them but they're pretty tough. During a long, cold winter they
bide their time like everything else and bloom when they're ready

A good place to go drool over Hellebores is Sunshine Farm and Gardens:
http://www.sunfarm.com/ Great photo galleries! It's a wholesale nursery
but they do some mailorder retail.

-- Karen

The Garden Gate http://garden-gate.prairienet.org
================================================== =================
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
^and cats -- Cicero
================================================== =================
On the Web since 1994 Forbes Best of Web 2002

"Karen Fletcher" wrote in message

A good place to go drool over Hellebores is Sunshine Farm and Gardens:
http://www.sunfarm.com/ Great photo galleries! It's a wholesale nursery
but they do some mailorder retail.

Betsy and Karen: I went to Benke's in Beltsville, MD today, and (among
other things) got my first Hellebore. It's from Sunshine Gardens and it's
called 'Glick's strain' (whatever that is). It's a greeny-violet with some
speckling. I guess I'll plant it out as soon as the last of the 26" of snow
is gone Should happen in about a week or so I guess.

you can get them at Park Seed company, Bluestone Perennials, Wayside Gardens
or White Flower Farm (these are priced decent) I wouldn't grow them from
seed, although you can. I don't see the seed available in Thompson and
Morgan and they have seeds for EVERYTHING. I would bet it's 3 years to
flowering size plant. I got mine from Park seed thru the mail, and have
noticed Bluestone has them for $8.90 each. Wayside and White Flower are
higher in price but you'd get larger roots of more diversified colors. Dark
burgandy's, white's with speckles, deep purple almost "black". If you
really want to go Hellebore's crazy, there's the Heronswood's nursery
catalog. No pictures, but oh my lord.........the selection!! And their
plants are quality too. I am saving up to get two from them (they have so
much..............................)
madgardener whose Hellebores are starting to push colored nose buds from the
base of the mother stalks of leaves thru the wet leaves...................
"Betsy" -0 wrote in message
...
I've been fascinated by these plants, and now that y'all are discussing
them
I remember yet again that I'd like to have some.

How are they grown/started? Can they be started from seed?

When are they planted out?

What happens when it snows like this--do they wait to bloom until the snow
is melted or do they just miss a year? Sounds silly, doesn't it, but I'm
mystified by a plant that blooms basically in the winter!

be sure to nestle it outside before you plant it. They're
tough..............I'd shove it in the snow on the east side of the
house.........
madgardener
"Julia Green" wrote in message
...
"Karen Fletcher" wrote in message

A good place to go drool over Hellebores is Sunshine Farm and Gardens:
http://www.sunfarm.com/ Great photo galleries! It's a wholesale nursery
but they do some mailorder retail.

Betsy and Karen: I went to Benke's in Beltsville, MD today, and (among
other things) got my first Hellebore. It's from Sunshine Gardens and it's
called 'Glick's strain' (whatever that is). It's a greeny-violet with
some
speckling. I guess I'll plant it out as soon as the last of the 26" of
snow
is gone Should happen in about a week or so I guess.

"
A good place to go drool over Hellebores is Sunshine Farm and Gardens:
http://www.sunfarm.com/ Great photo galleries! It's a wholesale nursery
but they do some mailorder retail.

-- Karen

The Garden Gate http://garden-gate.prairienet.org

I'm a Garden Gate subscriber, and just got a Sunshine Farm catalog today,
any connection?

Carlotta

================================================== =================
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
^and cats -- Cicero
================================================== =================
On the Web since 1994 Forbes Best of Web 2002

On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 10:23:21 -0500, "Betsy" -0 wrote:

I've been fascinated by these plants, and now that y'all are discussing them
I remember yet again that I'd like to have some.

How are they grown/started? Can they be started from seed?

When are they planted out?

What happens when it snows like this--do they wait to bloom until the snow
is melted or do they just miss a year? Sounds silly, doesn't it, but I'm
mystified by a plant that blooms basically in the winter!


I planted Lenten Roses in an eastern exposure where some primulas
would like a tiny bit more sun. In winter the nor-easters rip into
this cubby, but I allowed a gap there to funnel the wind directly
under the deck. Some pines to the north east may help too. The soil is
cool in summer with lovely shade from a honey locust. A neighbor just
cut lots of wood to the east. Good for those primulas, anyway. The
Lenten Roses amazed me last year.

Currently we had a record snow fall and this 'cool spot' now has 6 to
9 inches of crystalline ice left from 4 feet of drift. The hellebores
are plastered down there showing the worst of that, yet they are only
bended, and green stems begin to poking up as well. They seem to
bristle to break free, push forth anew, and set that marvel of blooms.
They know it is time and nor-easterly be hanged!

I saw the most remarkable garden picture yesterday, Helleborus
Foetidus (called stinking hellebore for it's leathery scented,
light-green flowers) and Dwarf Yellow Daffodils. To me this is the
perfect fix for shade, though the daffodils die back later of course.

Lenten Roses have such nice foliage I forget there are no summer
flowers when I sit on the deck stairs. I have some things I'd never
move. Well, there is more light in their nook now, hummmm, still, my
babies...

TK

TK

I planted Lenten Roses in an eastern exposure where some primulas
would like a tiny bit more sun. In winter the nor-easters rip into
this cubby, but I allowed a gap there to funnel the wind directly
under the deck. Some pines to the north east may help too. The soil is
cool in summer with lovely shade from a honey locust. A neighbor just
cut lots of wood to the east. Good for those primulas, anyway. The
Lenten Roses amazed me last year.

Currently we had a record snow fall and this 'cool spot' now has 6 to
9 inches of crystalline ice left from 4 feet of drift. The hellebores
are plastered down there showing the worst of that, yet they are only
bended, and green stems begin to poking up as well. They seem to
bristle to break free, push forth anew, and set that marvel of blooms.
They know it is time and nor-easterly be hanged!

I saw the most remarkable garden picture yesterday, Helleborus
Foetidus (called stinking hellebore for it's leathery scented,
light-green flowers) and Dwarf Yellow Daffodils. To me this is the
perfect fix for shade, though the daffodils die back later of course.

Lenten Roses have such nice foliage I forget there are no summer
flowers when I sit on the deck stairs. I have some things I'd never
move. Well, there is more light in their nook now, hummmm, still, my
babies...

TK

TK






Like 3 years ago I ordered bare root stock from some catalog. Received three
roots, planted them in one of my shadiest spots. Only one made it (hopefully
it will still be there when spring finally starts showing up). I haven't
seen started plants anywhere around here, so I was thinking they must not
be well adapted to my area. Did you start with plants, roots, or seeds? What
climate zone are you in?

Carlotta
Iowa
zone 4/5

CWilde wrote:



Like 3 years ago I ordered bare root stock from some catalog. Received three
roots, planted them in one of my shadiest spots. Only one made it (hopefully
it will still be there when spring finally starts showing up). I haven't
seen started plants anywhere around here, so I was thinking they must not
be well adapted to my area. Did you start with plants, roots, or seeds? What
climate zone are you in?

I would think bare root stock of hellebores would be the least desirable method
of planting. They tend to be a bit fussy about transplanting and I have a hard
time imagining just when they would be dormant enough to attempt to accomplish
this successfully. Either starting seed (relatively easy if fresh) or
containerized plants would be preferable.

You may be just at that zonal point that is challenging for these plants. Most
species are hardy to zone 6, some to zone 5, but 4 is pushing it. And they don't
like heavy shade - part shade at best, many would prefer quite a lot of sun.

pam - gardengal

Xref: news7 rec.gardens:211439

CWilde wrote:

: "
: A good place to go drool over Hellebores is Sunshine Farm and Gardens:
: http://www.sunfarm.com/ Great photo galleries! It's a wholesale nursery
: but they do some mailorder retail.
:
: -- Karen
:
: The Garden Gate http://garden-gate.prairienet.org

: I'm a Garden Gate subscriber, and just got a Sunshine Farm catalog today,
: any connection?

The Garden Gate is just my non-commercial gardening Web site (it was out
there with the name before the magazine started up).

Cheers!

-- Karen

The Garden Gate http://garden-gate.prairienet.org
================================================== =================
"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."
^and cats -- Cicero
================================================== =================
On the Web since 1994 Forbes Best of Web 2002

"Pam" wrote in message
...


CWilde wrote:



Like 3 years ago I ordered bare root stock from some catalog. Received
three
roots, planted them in one of my shadiest spots. Only one made it
(hopefully
it will still be there when spring finally starts showing up). I haven't
seen started plants anywhere around here, so I was thinking they must
not
be well adapted to my area. Did you start with plants, roots, or seeds?
What
climate zone are you in?

I would think bare root stock of hellebores would be the least desirable
method
of planting. They tend to be a bit fussy about transplanting and I have a
hard
time imagining just when they would be dormant enough to attempt to
accomplish
this successfully. Either starting seed (relatively easy if fresh) or
containerized plants would be preferable.

You may be just at that zonal point that is challenging for these plants.
Most
species are hardy to zone 6, some to zone 5, but 4 is pushing it. And they
don't
like heavy shade - part shade at best, many would prefer quite a lot of
sun.

pam - gardengal


Thanks for the advice. The one that survived has gotten a little bigger
every year, hasn't bloomed yet. I've read that they don't like to be
transplanted. It's in heavy shade. Do you think I should try and move it to
part shade, or because it's made it for three years, leave it where it is?

Carlotta

CWilde wrote:

"Pam" wrote in message
...


CWilde wrote:



Like 3 years ago I ordered bare root stock from some catalog. Received
three
roots, planted them in one of my shadiest spots. Only one made it
(hopefully
it will still be there when spring finally starts showing up). I haven't
seen started plants anywhere around here, so I was thinking they must
not
be well adapted to my area. Did you start with plants, roots, or seeds?
What
climate zone are you in?

I would think bare root stock of hellebores would be the least desirable
method
of planting. They tend to be a bit fussy about transplanting and I have a
hard
time imagining just when they would be dormant enough to attempt to
accomplish
this successfully. Either starting seed (relatively easy if fresh) or
containerized plants would be preferable.

You may be just at that zonal point that is challenging for these plants.
Most
species are hardy to zone 6, some to zone 5, but 4 is pushing it. And they
don't
like heavy shade - part shade at best, many would prefer quite a lot of
sun.

pam - gardengal


Thanks for the advice. The one that survived has gotten a little bigger
every year, hasn't bloomed yet. I've read that they don't like to be
transplanted. It's in heavy shade. Do you think I should try and move it to
part shade, or because it's made it for three years, leave it where it is?

Carlotta

That transplanting thing is a bit of a fable - as long as you get a good sized
rootball, they take to it quite well. They can even be divided, if careful. I'd
wait until later in the season, after things warm up properly, and then move it
to a sunnier location. Morning sun would be best - your summer afternoon sun
might be a little strong - and if you have it, somewhere it might be a little
less exposed in winter. They don't care to be mulched with anything rich, so
something simple like pine straw (over limestone chips to counteract any
acidity) might help with additional winter protection.

pam - gardengal

On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 10:23:21 -0500, "Betsy" -0 wrote:

How are they grown/started? Can they be started from seed?


Here near the coast in central California I plant them any time. They
are tough and once they get established bloom reliably and are easy from
seed

A year ago I started a couple of dozen from my own seed, they are doing
well, they only have 3 or 4 leaves, looks like at least 2 more years
before they have a hope of blooming. I just planted the fresh seed in 6"
pots as soon as it was ripe.

Hellebores! That's what they're called. I was given a pot with these plants
in it and one winter, a couple years ago, I was startled to see purple
blooms! For me they started in November and did fine (in a pot) in the snow.

I also have another winter flowering plant. I took starts from a brick wall
in a town called Laconner. The leaves are purple and green and are very
tiny. The flowers are white, though my friend who had them claimed they're
purple. Any ideas as to what it may be?


"Garrapata" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 23 Feb 2003 10:23:21 -0500, "Betsy" -0 wrote:

How are they grown/started? Can they be started from seed?


Here near the coast in central California I plant them any time. They
are tough and once they get established bloom reliably and are easy from
seed

A year ago I started a couple of dozen from my own seed, they are doing
well, they only have 3 or 4 leaves, looks like at least 2 more years
before they have a hope of blooming. I just planted the fresh seed in 6"
pots as soon as it was ripe.