Plants of the Month: December

Hellebores

The hellebore is Garsons Plant of the Month. This festive favourite is commonly known as the Christmas rose, and it will thrive during the colder months.

It’s in bud now and can flower until spring. Choose from the white Helleborus niger or the Helleborus orientalis, with shades that range from dusky pink through to dark red. The Oriental varieties tend to be hardier.

The hellebore is often evergreen with foliage that adds interest all year. As a woodland plant, it prefers a shady spot or partial shade, and because it’s low growing, it often does well in the shade of larger shrubs and trees.

You can plant your hellebore this time of year, so long as the soil isn’t waterlogged or frozen. It dislikes sitting in water, so mix horticultural grit with compost in the planting hole to help with drainage. Once planted, add a layer of mulch and water during dry spells until it’s established.

You can also grow hellebore in a raised bed or container. A raised position gives you a better view of the flowers. Create a festive winter planter by filling a container with hellebore and other woodland plants such as hardy cyclamen and snowdrops along with trailing variegated ivy.

The hellebore is low maintenance and once established is fairly drought tolerant. You can deadhead flowers to encourage more blooms and cut back old foliage when the new growth starts to show through.

Come and choose a hellebore while they’re 20% off for Garsons cardholders in December.