If you think hosta, astilbes, ferns and bleeding hearts are the only plants that will grow in your yard’s shady spots, think again! Shade-tolerant and super easy-to-grow, the hellebore is a gorgeous, deer-resistant alternative for your borders and woodland gardens.
Hardy in zones 4-9, the pest-free helleborus blooms for up to four months in late winter and early spring, a time when almost nothing else is in bloom (which means you can show up your neighbors!). In cup-shaped, 2” blooms (in usual shades of green, red, pink/purple, near black, yellow or white) sit atop 15-18” stems adorned with glossy evergreen foliage. In addition to their roles as wonderful border and woodland garden plants, hellebores offer luscious points of color when planted in clusters, along with other perennials, or when naturalized. They also grow well in raised beds and rock gardens. You just can’t go wrong with hellebore! Here are some more facts: Hellebores tolerate poor soil, but prefer moist, fertile, well-drained soil. For best results, prep the soil to a depth of 8-10”, adding organic materials. A touch of fertilizer added to planning holes will enhance establishment and blooming. For your hellebore’s first winter, add some mulch to avoid damage due to frost heaving.