Re: hellebores was: Shade Garden Gone?

Well, Ann, dunno what Wayside shipped to you, but their web site says
3-1/2" pots.  If that's the case, you will have at least a full
season and probably two full seasons before you see any bloom as
these sound like seedlings to me and, generally, it takes about 3
years from seed to flower for Helleborus x hybridus cultivars - which
it appears these are.  So, you'll have a bit of a wait to find out
what you got:-)

Helleborus x hybridus forms massive root systems when
mature..wouldn't fit in a 3-1/2" pot:-)

But, anticipation is part of the joy of gardening.  They should do
fine for you if you make sure they don't dry out too much during the
heat of summer.  Great plants, hellebores; IMO a shade garden can't
have too many of them:-) While they will tolerate a certain amount of
dryness, they really prefer soil that remains decently moist but
drains very sharply.  They are very deep rooted, once established.

In your climate, I would expect new growth now as they think it's
spring.  Once the new leaves come out, you'll find the old ones sort
of going flat to the ground and turning darkish and you should cut
them off at ground level.  Once they start blooming, generally they
will bloom and then put forth new leaves, at which time you want to
cut the old ones off.   I would expect, once they reach blooming
size, that they will start blooming for you in December.  Mine will
start in late January if we have a warm winter; otherwise it's early
Feb. and if winter is very hard, they might wait until early March.

You say you have some species ones - which ones do you have?

I'd say, in general, your friend of the French Riviera is right...it
does take about 3 seasons for perennials to really show their true
metal...depending, of course, on the plant and how large/mature it
was when it was planted.  But I always figure it will take about 3
years for a newly planted bed to really look like it was envisioned.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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----------
> From: Ann James <annfree@earthlink.net>
>
> I was interested reading Gene Bush's mentions of hellebores and
cyclamen.
> While there certainly isn't any snow in Conroe, Texas and not much
cold
> weather, all the caladiums and hostas have died back and the few
hellebores
> I bought last year as an experiment are putting out new growth.
The
> cyclamen I planted last year are up, too.
>
> Since hellebores are new to me, just like hostas were, I hope these
will
> show me something this winter and spring.  I bought the heritage
ones from
> Wayside Gardens, and they are in the same front shade bed with the
hostas
> and cyclamen and now, pansies for winter color. I have some species
ones in
> a back yard bed that used to be full of ferns, and though I had the
ferns
> dug up, they persist in coming back.  I guess we'll see.
>
> A friend of mine who gardens on the French Riviera says it takes
three years
> for perennials to really settle in and do well.  Needless to say,
Conroe
> isn't remotely like the Riviera, but perhaps it does take awhile
for
> perennials to find their feet and flourish.  If she's right, I have
another
> whole year to go to find out.
>
> Ann James
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