Great pix of butterflies.
The wild asters grow in ditches and hedgerows here.Great spots of color with deep golds and yellows.

Evan, if you are still around, I got to thinking about your questions last evening and also thinking that Phlox stolonifera might be a better creeping phlox for your cooler climate with more shade. It's a woodland creeper. Is that what you have? Those in my picture are Phlox subulata.

The Maple is somewhere between 20 and 25 years Bob. My idea was, after pruning to create an outdoor bonsai potted look, with the phlox filling in for moss. I have both subulata and stolonifera Tee. I don't know which is which but 3 of one and a slew of the other (taller and more vigorous). I've not trimmed before.

its a beautiful place for color under the maple.

Yea, I should rework that area. There's some Iris reticulata, Crocus and Hyacinth mixed in there too. When spring is gone it's green on green. There's so many plants in that one spot my backs starting to hurt.

One grower said Helebores like neutral to alkaline soil. Is that your experience?

I am not sure. I have pre landscapped property that has had conifers as a windbreak and property line. The skirt areas under the northeast side is just like a woods with 20 years of pine needles so I put my Pine Knot order there last March.
My thinking is the pine needles have made the soil very well drained and a bit acid.

I can tell you hellebores like anything within a decent range. They grow everywhere on my property, and re seed like crazy, which I think is a good indication they like the soil. I have some growing in quite acidic soil, where I grow my JIs and in amended alkaline soil. They all seem to do well. They even like full sun. These are orientalis. I don't have much experience with others.

The Lady series is a really good re seeder. I purchased a flat of it, didn't get around to repotting, and two years later seedlings all over around the flat. Along with a flat of digitalis that was sitting next to it. All over the place.

Good to know. I've got a few sitting "under" an upright Juniper and was wondering if that was a mistake. I looked up the Terra Nova Helebore Chelle was asking after and they say Hellebores like acidic soil.

Nearly all my hellebores are from Pine Knot and hybridus,I doubt they will reseed.
I have some from a gardener from the other sight ,dont know which they are so will wait to see if they seed and spread.
Anyone here have the hybridus verieties? do you know if they spread?It would be great if they did.

I'm just planting mine this year so I'm no help there. Haven't had them long enough.

Yup,last spring I succomed to the temptation. I will also be buying more plants this fall.

Same here, Jo Ann. I just got my first bloom and that did it. I'm hooked.

We just got 6 inches of snow.No blooms here for a month.

Have you had warm weather this winter or about average?

PollyK said:I can tell you hellebores like anything within a decent range. They grow everywhere on my property, and re seed like crazy, which I think is a good indication they like the soil. I have some growing in quite acidic soil, where I grow my JIs and in amended alkaline soil. They all seem to do well. They even like full sun. These are orientalis. I don't have much experience with others.

The Lady series is a really good re seeder. I purchased a flat of it, didn't get around to repotting, and two years later seedlings all over around the flat. Along with a flat of digitalis that was sitting next to it. All over the place.

WOW POLLYK , GREAT INFORMATION. I am so encouraged.

Wonderful!

I ordered 'Pink Lady' is that one of the lady series?

Beautiful day here and I just got all my new Hellebores planted. Happy dance!

Sun is out and I am shoveling snow.supposed to be nearly 50 Wed.