Winter is often associated with bare trees and dormant gardens, but did you know that some flowers thrive during the colder months? One such standout is the Hellebore, often called the “Christmas rose” (although it looks nothing like a rose!). Its delicate petals come in a variety of colors, from soft whites and pinks to deep purples, adding a splash of color and vitality to an otherwise dreary landscape.
Hellebores are versatile and low maintenance, growing well in shaded areas and requiring minimal care. Planting them on slopes or under large shrubs is an excellent choice. Our horticulture team loves their low maintenance needs, the evergreen foliage, the large droopy coarse leaves, and how easy it is for these flowers to spread by self-seeding. They also help hide any minor weeds or leaf litter you would find on a woodland garden bed. To top it all, their best resilient feature might be their tolerance to drought and disturbed sites.
One of the Hellebore varieties thriving on the slopes of the woodland gardens at London Town are Helleborus 'Red Lady.' 'Red Lady’ is one of several seed strain hybrid hellebores (known as the Lady series) developed by Gisela Schmiemann of Cologne, Germany. At London Town, we pair Hellebores with delicate ferns, bleedings hearts, and other dainty shade loving ephemerals.
These beautiful flowers are blooming throughout the 10-acres of woodland gardens at Historic London Town and Gardens starting in early February—come see them for yourself!
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