Helleborus 2021

[Jeffnz]

Gail
Forgot to add that the fungus infection may be botrytis rather than black spot, botrytis is more difficult to control and occurs not only with a particular plant but also with seasonal variations in climatic conditions. 

[Gail]

Paul great collection especially like the dank double.
Gail in a way it is unfortunate that then pursuit of new colours often is accompanied by a reduced resistance to fungal disease.
To counter this I always cut off all leaves after the flowering buds emerge to maximize air flow and also spray the emerging buds with a fungicide that targets black spot. What is teh appearance of teh fungal infection?

Thanks for your comments. I've cut off all affected leaves otherwise I would post a photo. But I've had some round black spots, which is why I call it black spot! Also sometimes emerging shoots blacken before they open. I usually rotate fungicides (or get whatever I can from the garden centre) as I also have to watch my peonies and snowdrops, especially in cold, damp spells...

[Leena]

We wanted a quite a lot of Hellebores to add to our small woodland area, so for cost sake we grew them all from seed. Three years on and we have got quite a good flowering from them this season. Shown below are a couple of montages to illustrate all the differing forms that are currently flowering.

Really nice selection, and so many different types. Congratulations.

[MargaretB]

After many years breeding hellebores I've now retired, only to discover that they can do very well without my help!  Two 'volunteers'.

[Carolyn]

Both lovely, Margaret, but the deep pink with the pale centre is stunning!

[Maggi Young]

After many years breeding hellebores I've now retired, only to discover that they can do very well without my help!  Two 'volunteers'.

Ah, but you must have  inspired them to do so well, Margaret!

[Jeffnz]

Hi Margaret
Like you after many years I have put the pollinating brush into retirement. The soft pink anemone is close to my idea of perfection, would be interesting to attempt a conversion to a double form.
The white centered double looks like a picotee with a large extended edge, do you have any other flowers with this characteristic?   Jeff

[Leena]

Really nice, especially the second one is super.

[MargaretB]

Thank you for all your kind words especially Maggi's suggestion that I can claim credit for them after all.  Jeff, I have many pink doubles but think anemone centres the most beautiful. I don't have any others similar to the deep pink picottee with white centre. Are you suggesting I start hand pollinating again just when I've been cured of the habit?  Perhaps I'll just let nature take over and see what happens in the way of seedlings from them.  Twelve Nunns sell a similar deep pink one called Harvington Double Blush, but yellow would be the bee's knees wouldn't it?

[Leena]

Helleborus have started to flower here.
These following flowers are all first time bloomers from seeds I got from a forumist about five years ago
There are so many very nice flowers that I don't know which I like most, but the first yellow one is one of the top favourites.

[Leena]

More

[Leena]

More

[Leena]

And the last ones. 

[Maggi Young]

My goodness, Leena, what a great variety! Easy to see  how  one  can become  addicted to these  beauties! (Ian has made  me  promise  not to buy any  more, or even  get  seed - it's a hard  life  here!!)

[Leena]

Maggi, yes, I just can't believe all the different kinds, and all are different than my older plants!
Hellebores do take room, that is the only disadvantage (the same with peonies), and lately I've been trying to sow more bulb seeds (following yours and Ian's example), but I can't resist Hellebores.