Tuesday, March 15, 2011

GBBD – March 2011: Hellebore Bore

I’ve been selective with this month’s GBBD. I’ve ignored the little daffodils, the still-flowering crocuses, the fragrant Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’. They’re all lovely but I’ve decided to give pride of place to some other jewels.

In previous years I’ve plucked the flowers and upturned them, to better view their unique patterns and exquisite tiaras of anthers. This time, I decided to meet them at their level; and because I don’t have raised beds, I spent a happy half hour or so on my stomach on a wet and muddy lawn. It was worth it. They may shyly hide their beauty, but if you spend a little time in their company, they really come out of their shell.

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I couldn’t resist one non-hellebore photo – I wouldn’t want to be too much of a hellebore bore. I recommend you, too, cwtch up close to Anemone blanda – not exotic, but a delight worthy of closer inspection.

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Thanks, as always, to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for giving me the impetus to spend a happy half hour in the mud, and for getting me to look closer at the garden every month. Please visit Carol’s blog for many more people joining in with GBBD.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

note to self - plant hellebores next year!! Beautiful shots.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos and flowers!

BernieH said...

Thank you so much for spending that half an hour in the mud ... it was worth the effort. They are indeed beautiful blooms ... and your photos do them justice. Fabulous photos.

Liz said...

Hi,

Wonderful photos, Hellebores are well worth the rolling in mud...
One day I hope to have a lovely show, but mine just don't seem to want to do anything for me.

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

Your photos are wonderful. I love hellebores and have loads but not enough. I used to wonder if I ought to try to plant them high on a bank so that you could more easily see the flowers but now I have decided that turning the flowers up to look into them is a part of what I love about them.

flwrjane said...

Beautiful. I just shoved my camera under the plant and took a sideways shot. Nowhere near as rewarding as yours.

Note to self: get down and dirty.

jane

Nutty Gnome said...

Thanks for rolling in the mud for us! Gorgeous photos, so it was worth it :)
I've got lots of hellebores, but only of 2 varieties so I really must get some different ones before next spring.