Hellebores in the artists garden

These are some of my hellebore plants that are flowering at the moment, some are my stock plants used for breeding purposes and some are seedlings. I prefer mostly the single flower shapes as most of the doubles and anemone centred plants lack the intrinsic simple beauty of the original strains. I have plants sourecd from Eric Smith (of the Plantsmen) via Little Creek Nursery in North Somerset that form the focus of my breeding with the darker strains of helleborus x hybridus.

 

 

ONE OF MY SPOTTED SEEDLINGS, FLOWERING THIS YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME. Good overall flower shape, consistent spotting and showing good hybrid vigour:-

 

ANOTHER SEEDLING, DARK NECTARIES AND AN ATTRACTIVE PETAL COLOURATION:-

ANOTHER HAND-POLLINATED SEEDLING, A RICH PINK.

HELLEBORUS PURPURASCENS, A SPECIES HELLEBORE, THIS IS GROWING WELL ON OUR CLAY SOIL :-

HELLEBORUS PURPURASCENS :-

 A YELLOW STOCK PLANT USED FOR BREEDING PURPOSES :-

ANOTHER OF MY SEEDLINGS. THIS ONE IS A VERY SPECIAL LIGHTLY SPOTTED PINK PLANT :-

A PICOTEE STOCK PLANT :-

 MY BEST SPOTTED PINK SEEDLING :-

THE HELLEBORE THAT GOT ME STARTED, A SPECIES PLANT, HELLEBORUS ARGUTIFOLIUS:-

MY DARKEST SEEDLING HELLEBORE, WITH ERIC SMITH BLACK STRAIN PARENTAGE :-