Dear Diane
Thank you very much for reply. I garden in north Italy and have particular interest in hellebores and peonies. I started growing hellebores about ten years ago when they were nearly unknown perennials in Italy and I obtained my first plants from UK nurseries. I have several wild species growing in the garden their source being Phedar Nursery and with time I became a friend of Will McLewin.
I have planted helleborus x hybridus in different spots in my garden and they are really rewarding plants. Each year I try to add a few new plants to my collection and when I saw the images of Ashwood hybrids I was astonished by their beauty. Unfortunately they do not accept mail orders. I am in search of semidoubles and doubles with heavy spotting, picotee edges, petaloids with contrasting colours.
Last year for the first time I tried to make a few controlled hellebore hybridizations using Violetta and other picotee hybrids both as pod and pollen parents and I have obtained a few good seeds.
A couple of years ago I wrote a brief article with my experience with hellebores for the Journal of the Hardy Plant Society.
I will send some photos of my plants to the Forum as soon as they will flower.
Roberto
