Our hellebores regularly seed themselves and generally they follow their parents. This was particularly noticeable when I lost the exquisite Harvington Double White, seen below in 2017. Luckily I had picked out a few seedlings and potted them on. They turned out to be as near as damn it to the original. They’ve not appeared as yet so I’m hoping they won’t be like mum in expiring before their time. This has to be my favourite hellebore.


Sometimes seedlings surprise and delight and the garden’s latest contribution to saving its household money is now showing. In the face of Storm Christoph I ventured out to photograph it. I suppose it should be described as a ‘picotee’ form, with the darker edges. Anyway it’s very nice and bursting with buds. There’s no excuse for an absence of colour in the winter garden. Hellebores are more and more exciting as the breeders get to work. And here’s my tiny contribution.