Winter flowers

Although it is still quite early for a lot of plants to be flowering, there are plants to enjoy. Above is Hellebore Winter Ballet Lulu, recovered after having a snowy hat.

Here is a Hellebore Credale double with just one flower so far, but a beautiful looking pink picotee edge to the petals.

Hellebore Hello Ruby just starting to flower.

Hellebore Ice and Roses Red looking very glamorous.

Cyclamen coum with its silvery leaves and pink buds.

Snowdrops, which really do need dividing this year.  They used to have lots of flowers but these have dwindled so I really need to dig them up, divide and replant them, giving them more room.  Of course, the heat in Summer is not really to their liking, so that won't have helped. 

Three more flowers.

Finally, Hellebore Ericsmithii Winter Sunshine, again flowering but perhaps not quite so happily as in previous years.  It may not have liked the heat either, but may need to be in a bigger pot now.  Lots for me to do when the weather is slightly less wet!

Hello Hellebores 2025!

The hellebores are putting on a lovely show at the moment and it is always a joy to see them. Most of them are in pots in shady areas and seem quite happy.  (I may have added three more to the collection this year, so let me show them to you first.) Above is a single white hellebore in the Credale series.

My most recent purchase was this beauty - double pink picotee in the Credale series.

Here is Ice and Roses in flower now and yes, as promised, it does have a red flower.

These are the hellebores I have had for a while.  This is Harvington Pink...

...and here is Winter Princess Victoria.

Hello Ruby has proved to be a great addition to the collection and is a reliable flowerer.

Helebore ericsmithii Winter Sunshine is still flowering and does provide sunshine on a dull winter day.

Hello White Pearl is also a reliable flowerer and has put on a wonderful show this year. I was pleased to see the little ladybird busily hoovering up some pesky aphids.

Harvington Pink spotted, I think.

Finally, Harvington Pink Picotee.  These last two are in the shady border, but don't seem to do quite as well as the ones in pots.  However, they are spreading around and I now have two speckled ones.  There is also a white one which is growing in amongst Hydrangea Annabelle, but isn't quite in flower yet. 

They are a good source of pollen and nectar for early bees, so are a great addition to the garden.