Hellebore 'Double Ellen Picotee' (Helleborus)

Where to Plant:

A stunningly beautiful variety, 'Double Ellen Picotee' features creamy-white double flowers, each petal delicately outlined with a fine margin of reddish-purple. Like other Lenten Roses, it is a woodland plant that prefers a location in partial or dappled shade. It is perfect for brightening up a shady corner, growing under the canopy of larger shrubs, or in a woodland-style border. The ideal soil is rich in organic matter, moisture-retentive but still free-draining.

How to Plant:

You can plant pot-grown hellebores at any time of year, but autumn and spring are ideal. Improve the planting area by digging in a generous amount of garden compost or well-rotted manure. Place the plant in its hole so that the crown sits exactly at soil level, as planting it too deep can inhibit flowering and cause rotting. Fill in around the plant, firm the soil gently and give it a good watering to settle it in.

Aftercare:

In late winter, before the new flower buds get too tall, it is essential to remove all of the previous year's large, leathery leaves. Cut the leaf stalks right back to the ground. This simple job makes the flowers much more visible and helps to prevent diseases by improving air circulation. Feed the plant with a balanced fertiliser in the spring and apply a mulch around the base, avoiding the crown, to help conserve moisture through the summer.