Hellebore plants
Hellebores are easy to grow and undemanding evergreen perennials, producing exquisite nodding flowers in shades of pinks, purples, yellows and whites from late winter through spring. The blooms tend to be downward-facing with decorative spots on the inside of the sepals, making them well-suited to growing on a slope or raised flower beds to show them off at their best. They're produced above bold leathery foliage, often with an attractive marbled or silvery appearance, that will enliven the winter and spring garden. Typically woodland edge plants, Hellebores are well-suited to naturalistic schemes and informal plantings, combining particularly well with crocus, snowdrops, daffodils, phlox, bleeding heart and evergreen ferns. Commonly known as Lenten rose as they hold their flowers as Christian's are observing Lent, they grow best in a free-draining soil and benefit from a mulch in the spring to help retain moisture. Be mindful that hellebores are toxic to people and pets.