Helleborus × hybridus Harvington double white speckled

Lenten Rose hellebore

• Position: partial shade
• Soil: heavy, neutral to alkaline soil
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: February to April
• Other features: all parts of the plant cause severe discomfort if ingested; the sap may cause skin irritation
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Pink-flushed, white flowers that are attractively freckled with maroon, appear from late winter. Perfect for adding colour to the woodland floor, or for adding early interest to the front of a mixed border, hellebores are in flower at a time of the year when little else is. This means that not only do they add interest to the garden, they also provide a valuable source of nectar to foraging insects.
  
  A top tip from the Crocus crew is to cut back the old leaves down to the ground in January or February. This will show off the new emerging flowers to best effect and it also helps to get rid of foliar diseases such as Hellebore leaf spot.
  
  
• Garden care: Add lots of well-rotted leaf mould or organic matter to the planting hole. Apply a generous 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch of well-rotted organic matter around the base of the plant in autumn and provide a top-dressing of general fertiliser each spring.