hellebores are beautiful

I never really thought I liked hellebores that much but then one day a couple years ago, I saw a photo of a bouquet someone made with them and I changed my mind.  Now I realize they are a magnificent addition to my garden and I love having such a flowery sort of flower blooming here in February and March.  So every year now,  I add  two or three new plants and hope to have a thriving and packed-full-of-blooms winter-time hellebore plot in a few years.  It's a joy to get to make these arrangements from freshly picked outdoor blooms in the winter.

I really like how many of the hellebores change colour as they age.  Some start out with pink buds that open to creamy white and some start out creamy white and darken to pinks, burgundy and greens as they age....these are my favourites right now.
When I was cutting for this arrangement the other day, a bee stopped by and visited every flower in the patch.  That could be another good and practical reason to love this plant since there's not much early season food out there for the bees right now....soon tho', as more cherry blossoms open and the red flowering currents come alive.....(better not cut all the hellebore flowers and leave some for my bee friends!)

This is the hellebore called "Vancouver Medallion".....on a rainy day in my garden.  A nursery owner in Vancouver told me that it originally had another name but was renamed after it was planted all over Vancouver when the Winter Olympics came to town.....perfectly timed blooms for the event.  See how it has some creamy white blooms and then some older pink and burgundy with greenish ones?  I really like that.

This one is called "Pink Frost".  It's so pretty....wonderful for bouquets.

Next year, I hope to add some with green flowers to the hellebore patch.  I saw these on display at Phoenix Perennials  yesterday when I was in town for a day of errands.  They'll be a nice addition to a creamy white and pink bouquet.  Every year, Phoenix Perennials opens their season with an event called The Hellebore Hurrah.  Here's some really good info on their website about Hellebores.
I'm also really loving the look of the dark plum-black flowered ones...will have to add those to the patch soon!