All Bright Now

If you need a little ray of sunshine to see you through the cooler, darker days of winter, say hello to hellebores

- Tammy Huynh

Hellebores are the stars of a winter garden. Their pendulous blooms, in a gorgeous palette of colours and patterns, appear from winter and extend well into spring, bringing life to shady areas of the garden. These undemanding plants are commonly known as Lenten or winter roses, but actually belong to the buttercup family. Be wary of growing them if you have inquisitive children or pets as all parts of the plant are poisonous if ingested.

KNOW YOUR HELLEBORES

Hellebores fall into two categories: acaulescent (without stems) and caulescent (with stems). The most popular acaulescent form are the hybrids (Helleborus x hybridus). growing to 45 centimetres tall, these clumping evergreen perennials bear large, cup-shaped blooms in an exquisite assortment of colours, from near black to pure white, and everything in between. Flowers may be single or double and are often speckled, marbled or veined.