Hi, I bought a young helleborus foetidus plant in March this year and planted it out. It did grow a few new leaves, but this weekend past I noticed the stem seems to have started rotting/going black! I contacted the nursery, they think it should be ok as this plant normally dies back at this time of year. Is this true? Do I not need to worry? I think it looks like the plant is dying rather than dying back!! Many thanks for any help!
Gardengall

Your Helleborus should not be dying back this time of year. It is an evergreen (sometimes semi-evergreen, depending upon the winter). This time of year, it should be growing new leaves.

Go back to the nursery armed with the photos you have posted here. Your plant is not okay.

In my area they die after blooming, and sometimes...without blooming.
They usually produce a ton of fast growing seedlings, so it doesn't much matter that they do so poorly as individuals.
But, yeah... Its fixing to die.

Thanks Daisy and Stone, I'm going to contact them again, hopefully have more success now armed with your expertise