If you're wondering how to enliven your winter garden, think about hellebores. The flowers: subtle but richly hued colors in a broad palette of pink, burgundy, yellow, purple, black and green just when you need it the most--the dead of winter. The foliage: attractive, deep to pale green, often evergreen leaves that stay beautiful all year long. Introduce yourself to your first hellebore, and you're sure to want more.
"It's one of the truly great winter-interest perennials," says Tony Avent, owner of Plant Delight Nurseries near Raleigh, North Carolina. "It's just hard for anything to rival that. It's a really durable plant that tolerates a very wide range of environmental conditions." Some hellebores are hardy to Zone 3.
Depending on the species and cultivar, you can have blooms all winter long. "Every hybrid is different. Some bloom as early as January 1; others don't bloom until March. No two hellebores are the same. That's the beauty of them."
Hellebores have various preferences for soil and site. Some like neutral to alkaline soil in either full sun or light shade; others prefer acidic soil and shade. Before you take a hellebore home, research the species' requirements and give it the conditions it wants. You'll be richly rewarded.
Most hellebores are clump-forming and benefit from being divided after a few years, so use the divisions to expand your garden or to share with friends.
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