Friday 8 February 2008

The Lenten Rose

Today I saw the first Hellebores in my garden.

I have waited for their arrival in the clumps under the cherry tree

And this year, as every year, they surprise me.

Suddenly, they are there,
shadowy purple and bruised white petals.

And this year, as every year, I think:

I would like
a white one,
a dark purple one,
a cream one,
an anemone petalled one...

What is it about Helleborus orientalis
that awakens the irrational collector in me?

14 comments:

dottycookie said...

The petals of that hellebore remind me of just-cut figs.

I love them too. We have white through to pale green, far too many really for the space they have under a hazel tree. I used to dislike them until I started looking for plants that would enjoy the awkward space under trees - in our little garden every inch of space must be used! Now I would happily have more of them. They are very obliging little plants.

dragonfly said...

Your irrationality stems from the fact that they are flowering when not a lot else is, their colours are so beautiful and they seem to grow in otherwise difficult places. I used to have some but I think they've all been trampled on by wild dog-chases. I miss them...so it is good to see yours.

Curlew Country said...

Oh they're beautiful Alice. I have a silver birch in my new garden that, this time next year, the ground beneath it will be home to hellebores and snowdrops - I hope! I could see me turning into a collector of them too.
Stephx

ginny said...

Stunning photos as usual.
i have tagged you .. details on my blog.. hope you are up for it as i think it's one you will enjoy.
ginny
x

blackbird said...

The 'irrational' collector?
I think collectors are collectors, but if you want to start labeling us...

tess said...

they're lovely, I love the way that dark purple defies the pastel nature of spring and is bold and vibrant.

Anonymous said...

This is just such hopeful news! The colors in these photos are lovely. Your spring bulbs and flowers pop so much earlier than ours.

Unknown said...

Beautiful pictures. You so lucky to see the start of spring. We have at least two more months to go. March is typically one of the worst for storms (snow and ice).

Mary said...

Oh lovely photos.

I have hellebores too but never realised that they are the Lenten Rose. Such a pretty name.

Anonymous said...

Aren't hellebores amazing? the colour range is incredible. I didn't know that they are called Lenten Rose, either, although I have heard Winter Rose.

Ginnie said...

Beautiful, Alice! And we call them Lenten roses, too, though we don't get them nearly as early as this.

do you mind if i knit said...

I love love love Hellebores!
I will be planting some in my garden....... can you recommend any good mail order plant nurseries that specialise in Hellebores?!

MoominMama said...

I do love hellebore, but mine went horribly wrong this year due to a blocked drain which was positioned right next door to the bed where they lay.

I suspect it has done for my liriope muscari as well.

I've put some irises in pots to compensate, but I'm still annoyed.

Book on it's way, btw, but I'm hoping to add something hand made as well, hence the delay.

MoominMama said...
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