Hellebore foetidus

Hellebore Foetidus is a flower that I'd come across lots in client gardens. It was hardy, didn't mind some shade, flowered in the middle of winter (it's often flowering in my garden on the 1st of January or before, and continues until March) and is a lovely green colour that goes with just about everything.

Helleborus Foetidus

I hadn't thought of it as a cut flower because of the name, Stinking Hellebore. Foetidus means smelly (fetid) so why would you want that in a bouquet, and sure enough if you stick your nose near one in a garden, you probably won't keep it there for long. 

BUT, if you cut it into water, and condition it changing the water at least once, the smell dissipates and in its place you have a lovely branching stem, with green flowers often fringed with burnt red. Excellent as a base for a winter bouquet or stylish display base. 

So I transplanted a whole bunch of seedlings, and now I have a full bed of stylish green winter flowers which support my delicate winter flowers in bouquets. This year we planted even more, so hope to have them for florist sales by next year.

If the leaves escape from Hellebore blight (black splodges) they are also a wonderful shape for floral arrangements.

Here Hellebore Foetidus frames the paperwhite narcissus

If you’re a grower, watch out for them seeding themselves very early in the Spring, they are difficult to grow from seed as they need winter vernalisation.