Hellebores are having their moment. With their early bloom time, relative hardiness, and quirky beauty they are proving irresistible to many, including me. Having started with a few typical hellebore varieties a few years ago, I have lately developed that mania for special varieties that sometimes afflicts gardeners. Last fall, I planted Helleborus “pink frost” (above) and it has been astounding, with pink flowers emerging from under snow cover, and blooming, blooming, blooming.

I also planted Helleborus ‘Maid of Honor’, which, as you may guess from the name, promises fluffy pink double flowers. Like the rest of my hellebores, its only just now emerging. Fingers crossed it blooms soon!  I also fell in love with these double hellebores (below) when I found them (and promptly bought them) as cut flowers. When I posted them on instagram there was a lot of chatter about what variety they could be, with no conlcusion. Only later, when I read this post on collecting hellebores  by Pauline of Cloverhome, did I start thinking. At first, I thought they might be Helleborus ‘Cerise’ which she featured in her post. Now, after a little internet snooping (and wondering how quickly hellebore hybrids cross international borders) I am thinking they might be H. ‘Amythest Gem’ or H.’Red Sapphire” (Didn’t I tell you I’ve succumbed to hellbore mania?)  Anyone with expert hellebore idenitification skills, please speak up! I also managed to take some photos of these double flowering hellebores for making into a cards (above), now available in my Etsy shop, just in case you, or someone you know, also suffers from hellebore obsession. 

I’ll be adding to my plant collection this spring, having already ordered more varieties, to be delivered any day now. And I may even add to my hellebore photo card collection once my homegrown plants bloom. Spring is such a heady time for plant lovers, isn’t it?! Hope you are enjoying yours!