Georgia Magazine - December 2022 - 37

drought-tolerant and provide long-lasting cut flowers. "
Growers are introducing hybrids with ruffled flower
petals and new color combinations. The Wedding Party series
includes 'True Love,' with double maroon- and wine-colored
blossoms; 'Flower Girl,' which features slightly ruffled white
or light-pink, lavender-edged petals; and 'Confetti Cake' with
burgundy-speckled, white blooms. The single-form 'French
Kiss' has white petals sporting maroon edges and color splashes
and is part of the Honeymoon series.
Piccadilly Farm Nursery and Gardens in Bishop sells
hybrid varieties of hellebores, such as 'Candy Love' and 'Snow
Love' Christmas roses with pink or white flowers and the
Brandywine mix of double- and single-flowered Lenten roses
in colors such as dark red, spotted pink and apricot, some with
contrasting petal edges.
" We order different varieties every year to ensure that people
can have new choices to add to their gardens, " says Valerie
Hinesley, landscape architect and co-owner of Piccadilly Farm.
Propagation and care
Because hellebores tend to self-seed, gardeners may want
to transplant seedlings to new spots in the landscape.
" The reality is that growing them from these tiny seedlings
can be an arduous and time-consuming process, " Hinesley says.
" We suggest that people wait until the seedlings are 4 to 5 years
old before transplanting them to other locations. This will help
avoid damage to their tender root systems. "
The easiest way to propagate hellebores is by division in
the early spring after they've finished blooming.
" If you have large, mature plants that are well-established,
dig the clump, gently remove the soil from the roots and use a
clean, sterile knife to divide them, " Hinesley says. " When you
replant them, space them at least 18 to 24 inches apart. This will
help provide good spacing between the plants and allow air to
better circulate. "
Choose a shady location, as too much sun will scorch the
leaves and flowers. Once they are transplanted, water them
regularly until they are established.
" Spring is also a good time to practice good plant hygiene
by removing all the spent leaves and blossoms and cleaning
up around the plants as they enter the growing season, "
Hinesley says.
Making the most of winter color
Hellebores can be low-maintenance with the right planting
conditions and care.
" They're considered very hardy, long-lived perennials, but
they are not entirely bulletproof, " Hinesley says. " For the past
few years, Georgia has experienced long periods of cool, wet
weather from winter through early summer, leading to an outbreak
of hellebore downy mildew in some gardens throughout
the South, including our gardens at Piccadilly Farm.
" To limit the spread of the disease to other gardens,
Piccadilly Farm no longer propagates from plants in our gardens
to sell to customers. Instead, we only sell hybrid varieties
purchased from out-of-state suppliers and maintain careful
disease precautions in the nursery. "
Hinesley offers several suggestions to help homeowners
avoid diseases. Plant hellebores in places with good drainage-
such as raised beds, berms or slopes and in containers-so that
water does not collect around plants.
Avoid overhead watering. Water in the mornings to allow
the foliage to dry off during the day. Keep mulch at least 6 to
8 inches away from the base of the plant to discourage root or
stem rot.
Hellebores and other winter-bloomers-such as camellias,
Chinese paper plants and daphnes-give gardeners a reason to
visit their landscapes when it's cold outside.
" These flowers not only offer color in the landscape [but
also] make beautiful cut flowers to bring indoors, " Root says.
" When you bring in the blossoms, add some foliage as well,
or combine them with a bough or two from an evergreen to
brighten up the season. "
Pamela A. Keene is a freelance writer and Master Gardener
living in Flowery Branch.
'King White'
'Confetti Cake'
www.georgiamagazine.org 37
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Georgia Magazine - December 2022

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