very much for the kind comments, thumbs and acorns!

Rj, not Tropic Sunrise, but it might be a seedling of it.


Reminder: All parts of hellebore plants are poisonous! Especially the roots and unripe seed pods. Use gloves when handling the plants and wash your hands thoroughly in soap and cold water if you get any sap on them.

Oh no, I didn't know that about hellebores. Good thing I bought a few roots only.

The good news is that once you have planted them, you will not need to touch them very often and as an added bonus I've yet to come across any creature, big or small, that will eat them.

I didn't know that either. I'm glad I wear gloves when I'm gardening... it's surprising how many ornamental plants are toxic to pets and humans!

I'm going to plant them in the front where the snails can get to it, but I must label them, years from now my kids will not know about it. Perhaps to put them in pots, much easier to remove them later.

That is the reason Hellebore are only in my front gardens and none in the back with my dog. The Mayapples , Foxglove , and Dolls Eyes also stay up front.

I have foxgloves in the back even when my kids were young.

Thank you Lilli for the info about growing niger hellebore as well as hellebore plant being poisonous. I did not know that. Really appreciate this information.

Our dog never ate any of my plants other than the special grass I planted for him to help regulate his tummy and the many, many neighbourhood cats do not touch them either, but I found some info online and it seems the risk of pets and livestock eating hellebores is small because of the bad taste:
https://www.gardeningknowhow.c...

The only plants I have in the backyard that I know are toxic to dogs are the Hosta in a raised bed. He is trained not to walk in the gardens and has shown no interest in tasting them. Most of my gardens are in the front and side yards.

Interesting, I know hostas are edible for people and deer, did not know that about the toxicity for dogs.

Maid Of Honor bloom

When dogs eat Hosta it creates Saponins foam which paralyzes the digestive tract that will cause twisting and loading of the intestines , which would be very dangerous. The foam created also prevents them from being able to throw up.

Some Hellebore starting to bloom.


Seedling from a few years ago , looks like Painted Doubles.




Joker




Rio




Rome in Red




Mellow Yellow Strain




Apricot Blush




Red Sapphire

So many gorgeous hellebores on previous pages. Excellent plants for the garden never disappoint.
Many hellebores have naturalized in the garden beds. They are faithful bloomers and always bloom surviving deer, mice, voles. A big issue in my garden deer have devoured so many plants.

Over the years, I've tried hellebore from numerous mailorder places. Bluestone was by far the worst. The plants were small, barely 4 inches tall, and expensive for what I didn't get.

Don't overlook places like Lowes, Home Depot and Trader Joe's, of all places! They tend to get a single variety. Lowes today had Pennys Pink (?) for $20. HD hasn't had them yet this year. I used to get Niger at TJs around the winter holidays and a pink variety in the spring.

Also, it seems like hellebore are the 'it' plant this year. My local nursery is having problems not only keeping them in stock, but also getting more inventory. They have two price points: $20 and $27, with the $27 being the newer ones.

Something to keep in mind is the end-of-season clearance sales. Even though hellebore don't mind winter, many nurseries don't like hanging on to them when there are no customers around. One year, I blew the upcoming season budget on half-off hellebore. Some of them are still in their nursery pots and are quite happy waiting for their new home.

The only deer problem I have where hellebore are concerned is that they apparently make for a comfy bed in winter. One morning, I looked out the kitchen window to see a doe and two fawns laying down and catching the morning sun... right in the middle of my large hellebore bed! The plants, however, are no worse for the experience.

You have some very nice ones Bea. Do you know the name of your top pic?

Bea and Bob, beautiful Hellebores!

Beautiful hellebores Bea and Bob.

NJBob said:You have some very nice ones Bea. Do you know the name of your top pic?

Sorry I sure don't remember their names. They have been in that area over 20 years. A friend gave them to me from her crosses. They are the easiest garden plants to maintain and manage. This one starts blooms from end of dec and still goin. It's survived ice storm hail snow and monsoon rains. It's been a tough winter this season yet they are tough lil plants bloomin as usual.