Gardening Advice
Hellebore Cultivation
All the cultivars we are selling will enjoy edge of woodland conditions, which means a semi-shady position and a soil rich in organic material. If your planting spot is more sunny try to provide some shade during the hottest part of the day by planting other plants and make sure the soil doesn't dry out.
Always dig a hole twice as large as the root ball, breaking up the sides and bottom of the hole with a fork. Before planting add garden compost or or any other bulky organic matter to the soil. Plant at the same level as the plant in the pot, firming well as you replace the soil. Most plants will flower in the spring following planting though a few may need a further year to reach this stage.
Hellebores are low maintenance plants and will need little or no care for many years. A mulch of organic matter each spring will be appreciated and will set the flowers off well. In some gardens leaf spot (dark spots on leaves that may cause them to turn yellow early) can be troublesome but this disease may be controlled by removing all existing leaves in December. Some gardeners like to do this anyway so that the beautiful hellebore flowers can be seen better in the spring.
After flowering, remove flower stalks unless you want the plants to set seed (this does take energy from the plants and should only be allowed on vigorous plants). Ripe seeds can be allowed to grow where they fall or collected and sown fresh in pots. Plants with flowers of an unusual colour or form may arise from self-sown seeds.
If your plants start to decline after a number of years you may lift and divide them immediately flowering. After you have prepared the soil well replant but be aware the plants may take several years to start flowering well again.
Once you have started growing hellebores you are sure to want to increase your collection of these beautiful long lived plants.