Half the pleasure of growing these vigorous, evergreen shade-loving perennials is seeing which color each bloom will become. Some are white, others pink, while still others shades of red. All are delightfully freckled and spotted, heaviest at the base of each petal. Very large at 3 to 4 inches wide, they are the showiest, most distinctively marked Hellebores we have grown in quite a while, and we are very pleased to make them available to American gardeners this season.The 'Spotted Hybrids' begin blooming in late winter in most climates, each flower lasting an amazing 10 weeks or so. (The petals dry right on the plant, acquiring a tissue-paper consistency and a rattle in the breeze!) Cut them and float them in a bowl of water for indoor enjoyment, or simply let them remain, outlasting the first spring bulbs.
Like all Hellebores, this one is very long-lived and untroubled by pests and diseases. Its dark green foliage is handsome year-round, but the blooms are its real show, and you will see plenty of them on these very robust, well-branched plants. A superb addition to partial shade, they reach 15 to 18 inches high, about 18 inches wide, and thrive in any well-drained garden soil. Zones 4-9.
