Lenten Rose

Botanical Name: Helleborus
Height: 15″
Width: 15″
Exposure: Part Sun, Shade
Bloom: Assorted

Hellebores are the true harbinger of spring. Their cup-shaped, nodding flowers are the first to bloom just in time for Lent, hence the common name Lenten Rose. Clusters of 1 to 4 flowers open above leathery, deep green, palmate evergreen foliage. The flowers last for weeks and look best as a woodland groundcover or mixed into shade beds.

The unsurpassed winter beauty of these evergreen perennials makes them an early spring favorite. They liven the shady parts of the garden that are difficult to design. Today, advances in breeding has produced a number of varieties with more vigorous plants, outward facing blooms, and larger blooms.

The First Kiss Series has unique marbled foliage and includes Penny’s Pink, Anna’s Red, and Molly’s White. The Wedding Party Series includes ‘Confetti Cake’, ‘First Dance’, ‘True Love’, and is known for its double flowers. While ‘Rome in Red’ and ‘Sandy Shores’ are part of the Honeymoon Series with single flowers. Finally, Helleborus ‘Sunshine Selection’ is a mix of colors from off white, yellow, to pink.