Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Flowers and Foliage Now => Topic started by: assybish on December 09, 2011, 03:48:40 PM
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The strange weather has meant some of my hellebores are in full flower a month or two early.
These are first timers for me.
(http://)
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Very nice colours and forms ;)
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They are lovely Mike, particularly the pink blotched form, very distinguished.
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Very nice. Brian, how do you know this person's name is Mike? Just curious. Assybish, if you could add your location to your sig it would be much appreciated, then we know where you are gardening....
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Christine.... see assybish's profile.... you will find the link ....http://www.hazlescrossfarmnursery.co.uk/index.html and from there you will find that the hellbore fan at the end of the cat avatar is Mike Byford.
That being said.... Brian probably knows him as an old friend!
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Christine.... see assybish's profile.... you will find the link ....http://www.hazlescrossfarmnursery.co.uk/index.html and from there you will find that the hellbore fan at the end of the cat avatar is Mike Byford.
That being said.... Brian probably knows him as an old friend!
Sadly not Maggi, but I did exactly what you said ;D
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I couldn't find it either. I had looked before I posted. Must be doing something wrong. I did notice at the very bottom of one page that there was a ref to M Byford, but that didn't exactly tell me the name.
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My eyesight must be getting worse. I thought the avatar picture was a sparrow sitting in an artichoke plant! ???
Still managed to pot up 65 very small Rhodo mucronulatum today though. :)
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Another couple, the yellow semi-double is a result if a cross between a golden yellow single and a primrose yellow double.
The single is one of the parents
PS. THE BIRD IS A 6.5 KG MAINE COON CAT ;)
(http://)
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I really like these clear yellow hellebores.
A 6.5kg cat.... isn't that very nearly a tiger? ;) :o
Nice cats those Maine Coons.... a friend had one.... but I doubt if it tipped the scales at that much... hard to tell with all that fur!
I know what Lesley meant though... for a split second I thought I saw a horned owl! :-[
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I really like these clear yellow hellebores.
A 6.5kg cat.... isn't that very nearly a tiger? ;) :o
Nice cats those Maine Coons.... a friend had one.... but I doubt if it tipped the scales at that much... hard to tell with all that fur!
I know what Lesley meant though... for a split second I thought I saw a horned owl! :-[
You were right - before the cat came, Maggi. And Lesley's sparrow disappeared into the owl before you came along.
Very beautiful hellebores, these are! I am waiting for my first yellows and/or doubles to germinate from seed :D
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This is the closest I have to yellow. Mike's are just breathtaking....
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A good colour, Christine... I like the red nectaries.
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I think posts of all these little beauties should be banned. It means I'm going to have to spend more money on them and where on earth am I going to find room for them ;D
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I agree with Maggi - the red nectaries offset the primrose very well.
It's a combo I've not yet produced - now if I could get those necatries into my golden range it would be very nice! :)
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I thought I'd show some new cultivars of foetidus for stunning foliage at this time of year - I've included the good old standby "Wester flisk" for comparison.
The variegated is called "golden showers" and the sliver one "red silver"
(http://)
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if I could get those necatries into my golden range it would be very nice! :)
You mean there are even more of these lovely golden ones :o
Chris the red nectaries really set yours off, I'd be more than pleased with it if I were you :)
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The possibility of contrasting colours with nectaries or even stamens in so many of the ranunculaceae is one of the delights of that family for me.
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I like them too, but the yellow isn't as nice as Mike's. Mike - if you tell me how to, I'll try to propagate from it for you...not sure how to go about propagating hellebores, never done it before.
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Yes Brian there are several gold ones with varying nectary colours and veining and spotting - they are the result of my breeding program for golden yellows. I have back orders for most of tis years production but next year I should have a reasonable number ;)
Brian this is cheating as it is last year's flower but this is what I mean by gold with veining.
(http://)
Chris B thank you for your very kind offer.
There are 2 ways of propagating
if the plants is large by division see the photo below.
The other is by hand pollinating several flowers of the plant using pollen collected from a ripe anther of the same plant and brushed on to the developing stigma idelly repeat this over 3 days to ensure pollination is succesful. Then collect seeds they should come about 70% true if self pollinated by hand. See photo below of technique.
(http://)
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Thanks Brian. I'll take a look to see if I can split it. Never done a hellebore before.... Have experience of pollinating as I have been doing this with diascias for some time. Used to have NC of them, but gave them up for personal reasons a couple of years ago. So I'll see about that method too. I can't remember ever seeing any seed on the plant I've got so it may be sterile - is that possible?
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Chris
they divide easily being a tough rhizomatous plant. Provided that the plant is of a good size all that is needed is to cut off a large section of side rhizome with a couple of buds and some side roots. A very mature plant can be split using the good old fashioned spade cut through. The main thing is to keep the divisions and the parent slightly on the dry side for a while to prevent the risk of rhizome rot.
I have taken divisions as small as a couple of cm with just 1 bud but I don't recommend it and the small division needs to be kept dryish until new side roots establish.
It is possible that the plant is sterile but not common. The only way to be sure is to hand pollinate as hellebores don't always self fertilise that well being protandrous to a significant extent.
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Oh dear I'm falling for that one with the heavy veining, well done Mike, that is super!
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I think posts of all these little beauties should be banned. It means I'm going to have to spend more money on them and where on earth am I going to find room for them ;D
I agree David. Or rather, Christmas should be banned until one has coped with all these beauties and the rash of new bulb and seed lists appearing now. ;D
The red/yellow veined one is something new? It doesn't auger well for future bank balances. ???
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I first produced a few of that type 6 years ago carried out some back crosses to stabilise the line and then started selling last year for the first time - I only had 10 and they sold out within a day. I have increased the number and hope to have a few more this year. I am still developing the strain - now you can see why a red nectary would be rather striking. I have bred several colours with red nectaries including a primrose but not as red as Chris's :(
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The red stripes make it appear orange at a glance, its really lovely. Mike, too cold to go out there to take a look at this plant right now, wind is horrid again today, though nowhere near as bas as last Thurs of course. Such weather we are having right now.
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Hi Mike,
It's nice to see you here! I love your gold flower with the heavy veining above! I have one with similar coloring and it's my favorite! Do you happen to know which species was used to bring this gold coloring to the flower? One of my flower friends posted a picture of a yellow torquatus in the wild when he went to the Balkans (http://stnsr.exblog.jp/13235604 (http://stnsr.exblog.jp/13235604)). Maybe that's where it came from?
I would love to see a double form of the gold and red star with veining. Have you ever thought about pursuing that direction? (hint, hint ;))
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Hi Peppa
good to see you here too. I hadn't posted for a couple of years because of health and the legal/house issues mentioned on GB's even now I feel rather withdrawn from life beacause of the stress but am trying to "reintegrate" I think I know the site your friend has photographed (one Will found a long while ago) the "yellow" torquatus isn't really yellow it's a yellowish pale green which greens up as it ages. I am fairly sure that the yellows came mainly from cyclophyllus and odorus. I certainly have used then to produce primrose yellows. As for the golden yellow - I think it is a random mutation probably causing RNA transcription errors which suppress the chlorophyll production in the flower(sepals) and to some extent the leaves. As you'll know these golden yellows produce leaves that start off rather yellow and turn green then as they reach the end of the season they go very yellow.
Evolutionary wise it is a poor mutation as it reduces photosynthesis and thus the plants would compete less well than the rest. Of course for us gardeners it is a beautiful mutation.
Yes I am working on double and semi double forms of the gold with red veins ;)
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I just found this site... http://www.wakaizumi-farm.com/ just look at that perfect white picotee with blackcurrant nectaries at the top of the page! The yellow below it is great too.
Sigh! :)
Larger photo of the perfect flower ( in my eyes!) :
http://www.wakaizumi-farm.com/kabegami25.html
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Oh my, that is a lovely thing indeed!
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That form (picotee) is one of my favourites I first bred it 12 years ago and also now have it in semi-double and double forms and doubles with veins and picotee
I love the clean elegant simplicity(http://)
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Stunning flowers, Mike. 8)
Something so fetching about the picotee . :)
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I think all the same Maggi ;)
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Love them too....
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Mike, sorry to hear about the problems that you've been dealing with. I hope that things are better for you now...
Thanks for the info about the differences between the yellow and gold coloring of hybrid hellebores. It was very interesting to know that they have different causes. I had always assumed that the gold color was a result of extensive breeding of yellows; I didn't realize that it was a mutation. That's great info - it also accounts for the relative lack of vigor I've seen in a few golds, which I had always assumed was due to the plant being bred aggressively. I'm looking forward to seeing your double and semi-double gold forms with heavy veining in the future! You have great looking picotees! What a collection!
Maggi, Wakaizumi farm is one of the best and most well-known hellebore nurseries in Japan. Because hellebores have become very popular in Japan in recent years, there have been an increasing number of nurseries that specialize in breeding hellebores (even people who aren't in the trade) as well as an increased interest in species. I have a long list of web sites and blogs that I follow, including both hellebore nurseries and friends. :) It's always fun to see what folks are doing in different countries. 8)
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Peppa
I have line bred yellows and get very good yellows but the gold with gold necatries I am sure is a mutation. The very first plants were indeed very weak growers :'( but by outcrossing with some of my yellows and obviously spotted and veined yellows and whites the current f3-5 generations are much more resilient :) but they will never be as vigorous as fully photosynthetic hellebores.
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Since where talking about breeding I thought I would add this from a batch of seeds sowed from pollination tallents of John Grimshaw and Mitchel Carl from hellebores bought in the U.K a few years back. This one that flowered for the first time is not only very black but the flowers stand outwards.
enjoy
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Pretty, pretty!!! Stephen, this is a very nice black, and they are hard to come by. I love dark colored flowers and everytime I see some nice black hellbores, I always grab them! ;D
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That is very special Stephen. And Peppa, your avatar picture is so pretty. :)
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Lovely plant. I have a double black but its not as nice as that one.
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They're all very beautiful and I especially love the black. Wonderful shots.
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Hi Sue! Great to see you active in the Forum.... 8)
Maggi
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The topic headline says "Some early hellebores". Although my contribution isn't as pretty as the doubles shown before (my few doubles are not early!) it is one of the earliest here in my garden. Picture taken yesterday.
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A few more out for the new year.
For afficianados I've included Helleborus orientalis guttatus and Helleborus viridis (with red centre) plus some x hybridus from the collection
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Great pictures, great flowers! I love them! In my garden it will take another few weeks, before I'll have flowers. So I am happy to enjoy yours. :P
Lina.
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Once again, nice flowers ;) I can't wait for my ones ::)...
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Trond, you plant looks very vigorous and healthy! That's a very impressive clump!
Mike these are very pretty! I can't take my eyes off of the viridis!
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The viridis is from a colony in Italy where the red centres are common :), there is variation in size and intensity in the red as one would expect in a wild population.
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Trond, you plant looks very vigorous and healthy! That's a very impressive clump!
Mike these are very pretty! I can't take my eyes off of the viridis!
Thanks, Peppa. It is growing in my woodland. I grow all my hellebores outside, can't have too many pots to care for.
H viridis is nice, a species I haven't tried yet.
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Hi Everyone
Love the photos posted by Peppa.
I am new to the forums and also not at all knowledgeable about Hellebore's.
I do love them though, as they look good and flower early, and would like to grow some more varieties.
If anyone has any spare seed......... or seedlings....
I have recently inherited a Garden and mostly have no idea what is in it!!!!!!
Have got two lovely Hellebore's and hoped forum members could advise what species/type/variety these are and if they are OK varieties.
They are growing well here and spreading in a large shrub border and have had no care really. Have not been fed or had dead leaves cut back. Something seems to be eating holes in the second one!
Any information and tips abut Hellebore's in general or these two in particular greatly appreciated.
The first one is tall at about 20 inches and the golden top makes a striking contrast t the dark green leaves, the flowers look half open now. The second one half the height, the flowers are budding out on separate shoots at ground level and not on shoots held on the old stalks as in 1. photos below.
Happy New Year to All.
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I do love them though, as they look good and flower early, and would like to grow some more varieties.
If anyone has any spare seed......... or seedlings....
I'm happy to send some seeds if you are interested; please remind me around mid-June. :)
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Hello Scotsman in Kent
Your first hellebore looks like Helleborus foetidus and the second one is probably a garden hybrid best described as Helleborus x hybridus. They both look good and healthy. The leaf holes are possibly due to slug or adult vine weevil damage and probably not a major problem. With the H x hybridus, some people cut off the old leaves in the autumn or winter (it's not too late to do this now) as they can look tatty and/or get botrytis. The new leaves will then form after the flowers. They don't need much feeding, but I usually give them a scattering of slow release fertiliser after flowering, and top dress with leaf mould in the autumn.
My plants give rise to hundreds of seedlings each year, so I have to weed them out - but I can certainly get some young plants to you. Nearly all of mine are Ashwood plants, so the seedlings I allow to develop have ended up as nice plants.
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Hi Diane and Peppa.
Thank you so much for your reply.
I think you are right with your identifications.
The first one does indeed look very much like the picture Mike Byford has on his website for foetidus:
http://www.hazlescrossfarmnursery.co.uk/hellebore%20species%20croaticus,%20istriacus.html
I think I will adopt the feeding and mulching regime you use also Dianne. Thank you for the tip.
Peppa, thank you for the offer of some seeds. I hope I do remember in July/August time!
Dianne, a very generous offer to send some seedlings. I am very appreciative. Only boring forms in nurseries close to here and at the moment by plant budget is going on "white fever" for those little white spring flowering drops. I do see the need for some other flowers to go with the white ones though ;-)
Have only so far sent bulbs via post, how does this work with seedlings? Perhaps you could PM me and we can talk about and I will give you my address?
I have one last question, when is the best time (and best method) to divide clumps of Hellebores so they will recover fastest?
Again, thank you both for your generosity.
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As Diane said the first is H foetidus and the second a x hybridus purple by the look of it.
Remember foetidus is short lived oftem only 2-3 years but it seeds freely.
Division can be done any time if the plant is large enough. Best time probably May-August when the rhizome is full of starch and the roots still growing. Keep all divisions on the dry side intil the rhizome hs scarred and the roots growing or there is a risk of rhizome rot.
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the next crop of early bloomers
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Wonderful colours Mike, well done 8)
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Really Lovely
I particularly like the third one down.
are these always this early ir is this year unusual?
simon
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Chin dribbling nice ;D
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They have been getting earlier these last 20 years as global warming kicks in. Now some are in flower all year round. Their native habitats are far more continental so get more clearly defind seasons especially longer and colder spells. This year they are I would say 2 weeks ahead of recent times.
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A nice crop you have, assybish!
This year things are ahead of schedule but last year and the year before that, things were behind schedule!
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I guess that's a difference between our locations - last year mine were ahead of "normal " but then a sudden long cold spell held them back in late December and early January by this time many were already in flower.
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Assybish, that are some beautifull Hellebores you show here. Are these outside or in a polytunnel/glasshouse?
Can you tell me how they perform outside in the garden?
I ask this because I hear mixed stories about how they perform under normal garden settings. Some say that the flowers of the double forms are too heavy and bend down, especially with wet weather (like we are having right now in the Netherlands). Others say that some colour forms (yellow, primrose and apricot) do not grow very well and are prone to leaf spot diseases.
In the Netherlands Hans Kramer (from the Hessenhof Nursery) started anew with his hellebores last year because he did not want to keep spraying them with fungicides over and over again. He now aims for healthy plants that don't need poison to stay healthy.
What are your experiences?
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Hi there are different facets to your question - I shall do my best to answer.
I have plants under cover in polytunnels - mainly my parent plants and they are under cover mainly for my benefit as I work on them pollinating, seed collecting etc. Also for visitors to enjoy as they are on raised benches.
I have plants in pots outside and in large display containers outside.
I have plants in the garden outside and plants "wild" in hedgerows outside in deep unmown grass.
The only plants that suffer from any problems are those under the polytunnels where I get botrytis when the pollen drops as it rots and can cause the bract scales of developing flower shoots to get botrytis despite excellent ventilation.
I believe the problem is that the polythene absorbs too much UV light which acts as a sterilising agent on out door plants where I don't get the problem.
I never spray out door plants unless they get aphids when I use a bee friendly insecticide to prevent aphids tranferring viruses. I never use fungicide.
I get no problems with any plants outside despite living in the second wettest area of England. Double and semi-doubles thrive and set seed on their own so I don't find a problem with doubles.
The only problem I find outside is with plants that I bred to meet the consumer demand for up wards facing flowers - as I predicted they can rot off if there is rainfall over a long period when the anthers are shedding pollen. This is exactly as I predicted and if I am asked for upwards facing flowers I say yes but give a warning that some flowers may be lost to rot if it is very wet - the plants are fine just flowers rotting.
This is as one would expect as they like galanthus etc have evolved nodding flowers to shed rain and snow as they flower during winter/early spring - I also believe it keeps the reproductive parts a few degrees warmer and so aids pollination. In their native habitats hellebores can flower when there is deep snow and night time temperatures well below freezing.
With regard to colours I found that some of the early yellows from the 80's and 90's did tend to show less resistance to leaf spots in wet winters and the plants were generally less vigourous. I don't find any other consistent patterns with the plants I breed today. I regularly get people emailing me with photos of plants they've bought and saying how well they're flowering.
I think that there is a problem that many gardening books and magazines perpetuate the myth that hellebores are shade loving moisture loving plants so people put them in deep shade often facing north in waterlogged soils and they will sstruggle and rhizome rot becomes an issue.
The truth is that hellebores grow best in full sunshine during flowering and early leaf growth i.e. winter and early spring. In summer a little dappled shade from deciduous trees can do no harm but isn't essential. Hellebores are drought tolerant - many species in the wild go completely summer dormant their leaves shrivel and the rhizome stores food and water. I have rarely killed a plant by under watering but in the early days killed many by over watering!!! - I believed the so called gardening experts :'(
I hope this answers your concerns. I do not feel that breeders have generally caused plants to become less disease resisitant. Line breeding only causes problems if there are genes that are recessive and harmful to survival. One concern I have is that I believe some breeders use a high nitrate feeding regime in pot plants to get them flowering in 2 years - this causes plants that are overly tall too quickly grown with huge flowers and fleshy stems these in my experience can struggle in the first year or two in the garden and I have seen plants die because they were all flower with too little leaf as they had been "forced" by over feeding and possibly atrificial lighting? After a couple of years they are usually then ok. I don not follow this practice and all of my hybrids are 3-4 years old before sale and not heavily flowering they do best once transplanted outside with extra room for the root development.
This winter which has been the wettest I have ever seen a wild H. Orientalis has shown the worst damage from black spot than any of the x hybridus which surprised me.
Generally leaf black spot fungi are not important as they are only mildly disfiguring and tend to attack old leaves which are dying from August onwards anyway. Botrytis and rhizome rots are the biggest problems and if grown in full sun in well ventilated areas not some dank shady corner against a wall and if the ground is well drained or they are grown on a slope then they are nto a problem.
Follow this advice and grow the Queen of winter flowers and enjoy their long lasting beauty :)
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Super full answer, Mike.... thank you!
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That's very useful information Mike. Thanks very much. I'm gardening on very sandy free draining soil and the hellebores do seem to enjoy the shadier places here. Someone next door is having a driveway dug out and even now the soil is very dry in the big heap that has resulted from the work. But they still thrive despite the dry conditions. I do give them a bit of a feed once per year because the soil is not rich in nutrients, but that's about it. Trouble free plants imho.
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Super full answer, Mike.... thank you!
Same from me, many thanks!
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Chris
I am deeply envious I would kill for sand we are on solid blue brick clay with no topsoil it's just a bog hence growing so many plants in pots.
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I'm amazed at what will grow in my soil, and I'm not awfully good at nourishing it either, tend to just let things grow or not. The ones that don't I just don't grow any more. Can't get many of the ranunculus family to thrive here. A few clematis maybe, but the ones that enjoy the rich clay just don't like it here. But most bulbs like it too so I've taken to growing more of them in recent years. The cyclamen love my soil....
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This is in flower now. I bought it about ten years ago as Helleborus torquatus
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Mike, great photos of some stunning plants. Your method of pollen transfer is interesting. The black plastic(?) makes it easy to see, I suppose.
Peter, I'm afraid that is not H. torquatus. :( Nice healthy hellebore, though. I'd call it a white Helleborus x hybridus.
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Does torquatus not have smallish, greenish/blackish flowers and dark to blackish leaves?
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Yes, attractive forms are usually fairly dark, and nearly always with a greenish back. This has torquatus like leaves (smaller and daintier than purpurescens), and torquatus like branching. I picked it out from a batch of more typical torquatus ex wild seed in the wish that it was an albino, but it is more likely a cross though possiably 1st generation.
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Yes, attractive forms are usually fairly dark, and nearly always with a greenish back. This has torquatus like leaves (smaller and daintier than purpurescens), and torquatus like branching. I picked it out from a batch of more typical torquatus ex wild seed in the wish that it was an albino, but it is more likely a cross though possiably 1st generation.
Peter I agree that your plant doesn't look as if it could be a torquatus. This species is similar to a lot of species hellebores in that they are not evergreen so the leaves are not present at flowering time. Your plant looks as though it might have last years leaves. I have never seen a true torquatus that hadn't greenish flowers marked more or less heavily in black/purple though someone might correct me. The deep purple ones are the ones most sought after of course. The problem with species in general is that hellebores are very promiscuous and the only real way to get purity of species is from wild collected seed or division. Here is a couple of torquatus I showed last year. I must say that most of my torquatus plants are still below ground in bud and the longer they wait the better I like it they do not like the weather we are having at present
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Ian, that second one is amazing. Here are a couple that are coming into bloom here now. Under the current classification, a lot of very variable populations are included. Lesley's description is pretty spot on. Not all young leaves are dark but many are.
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Hi Pete
I agree with Ian - the white does not look like torquatus, I have seen every shade of torquatus from black through to green with and without veining and spots but never a white one. I suspect it is an X hybridus possibly a white crossed with torquatus?
These are some of my early torquatus. The double is "dido" from Elizabeth Strangman.
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Dark and veined torquatus are a bit of a catch 22. We like the dark and veined ones so most of us select for that, which then becomes 'what they are'. I suspect that many people would assume that green seedlings are hybrids.
Its the same with any form of selective breeding. I have Norwich and Lizard canaries in my shed. You'd never know that they were the same species. 8)
Lizards http://www.dtalizardcanary.co.uk/photosof_winning_lizards.html
Norwich http://www.rparker.free-online.co.uk/scot-nor/cangalary.htm
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Unless the exact provenance of the parents are known and hand pollination is carried out they should be regarded as x hybridus. True species should be reserved for plants from wild collected seed of known provenance or hand pollinated seed from such plants anything else is to be regarded as hybridus as anything green and veined is not H. torquatus there are green veined croaticus, atrorubens, dumetorum etc ass well as x hybridus so morphology is not to be used to confirm species status. This is why there are many plants being sold/exchangeed as helleborus species which are not species.
Torquatus as currently designated can vary from pure green to black with/ withoit veins and spots. This is one of the reasons its designation as a single species is being questioned together with the wide geographical distribution of plants called this at present.
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Ian, that second one is amazing. Here are a couple that are coming into bloom here now. Under the current classification, a lot of very variable populations are included. Lesley's description is pretty spot on. Not all young leaves are dark but many are.
Joseph - Thanks I like it too ;)
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I have Norwich and Lizard canaries in my shed.
Ah, that brings some old memories,I used to keep over 100 border canaries in what is now my potting shed. Had to give up showing because of all the travelling in the bad weather during the winter. I have a nice big bag of Rosettes hid in a wardrobe though, just to keep the memory alive. :)
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I have Norwich and Lizard canaries in my shed.
Ah, that brings some old memories,I used to keep over 100 border canaries in what is now my potting shed. Had to give up showing because of all the travelling in the bad weather during the winter. I have a nice big bag of Rosettes hid in a wardrobe though, just to keep the memory alive. :)
Got a self green border hen at the weekend, to cross with a cinny Norwich for muling birds. Go on Michael, get a few borders 8)
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Don't be tempting me,they are easier to look after in the winter than South African bulbous plants. Had some nice Lady Gouldian finches as well, I really liked those.
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The double is "dido" from Elizabeth Strangman.
This is the quite famous 'Dido,' isn't it! Does it set seed well?
Do you happen to grow 'Aeneas'? I haven't seen any pictures of it and would love to. :)
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Here only a couple showing.
Nice Ashwood hybridus with close up and a yellow seedling. Most of the others are well behind
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The rain cleared today and I got the opportunity to take a few pics, bitter cold though, and the quality of the pictures decreases the colder my hands get.
All Ashwood hybs except the last one.
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A few more
4490 is Helleborus niger
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And more
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Last few
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Crikey, Michael... at least Ashwoods have somewhere to come if they suffer a crop failure. ;)
What a show!
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That is only the early ones Maggi. all he dark gray, slate, and so called black colours come later.
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All beauties Michael. Very impressive.
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Fantastic hellebores, Michael.
I think if I had to pick a favourite it would be the 4th . The white with the dark red blotch in the centre.
It's absolutely beautiful.
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Fantastic hellebores, Michael.
I think if I had to pick a favourite it would be the 4th . The white with the dark red blotch in the centre.
It's absolutely beautiful.
Thats very fine. I had a similar plant from John Massey some years ago, but slightly more cream with dark nectaries.
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Michael - We've grown many Hellebores from seed but never got a clear pink that we were happy with, 4473 is the dream.
All superb but 4476 and 4494 are favourites.
johnw
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John that pink was grown from seed, "Ashwood Garden Hybrids from Single Pinks". There are a few more from that batch but the flowers are not open yet.
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Thanks Michael. Keep us posted on them.
johnw
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Here is the first shoot on thibetanus. The other shoots seem to be waiting for some warmer weather
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Here is the first shoot on thibetanus. The other shoots seem to be waiting for some warmer weather
Enough to make one weep.
johnw
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wow, the helleborus thibetanus looks good. I got one last week, this is completely different ;)
(http://up.picr.de/9442817phx.jpg)
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Irm! Welcome back... again! Great to see you here. 8)
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Beutifull plant and picture Irm!
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thanks, Maggi (you remember?) I lost my garden some years ago, now I am back with a new little little garden in the middle of Berlin :) This helleborus comes from Scotland ;) last saturday ;) bar-root, and here we have -15° ...
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A few more Hellebores.
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Lovely pictures Michael,
I especially like the last two (yellows), really nice. Are the Ashwood hybrids?
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Yes,they are all from Ashwood seed.
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Apologies if this photo is huge. Its Anna's Red.
Im using my mobile phone
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Wow Irm your thibetanus is lovely. How tall is it?
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Irm, I love your white thibetanus!
Most of my plants are still in bud; here are a few flowers blooming today. :)
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Vau!
Thank's Peppa!
Best regards! Zvone
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Anna's Red is the result of 12 years breeding. You got to see it in real life. The new foliage is stunning. Mark
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Vau!
Thank's Peppa!
Best regards! Zvone
Thanks, Zvone! :)
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Wow Irm your thibetanus is lovely. How tall is it?
its about 20cm, but - I got the plant in a packet in the middle of january ;) and its very cold in Berlin -15° today. So, the plant is potted and it's waiting for better weather in the garden ...
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'Anna's red' at the London RHS show and Anna Pavord the lady whom the Hellebore is named after ;D
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Last few Helleborus for this year.
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Another beautiful collection Michael. You must have great pleasure from them all. :)
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Hi!
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Gg9Zrqp3pSU/T0Ker21gkgI/AAAAAAAAEzU/mWtgWYOPHnQ/s800/IMG_8616.JPG)
Hellebores niger on my garden former Sunday!
Best regards! Zvone
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Amazingly beautiful Hellebores, Micheal. They seem so perfect compared to our rain / windswept plants. :(
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Mark that "Anna red" has some really nice leaf markings.
Jo do you know the back ground to the breeding? Looks to have some sort of niger in it.i have seen Niger x orientalis, those leaves look chunky like Niger too.
Cheers
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Definitely last lot for this year.
Helleborus ashwood hyb
Helleborus ashwood hyb
Helleborus niger, a nice clean one for a change.
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Michael - How do you manage such perfection in every genus you tackle? :o
johnw
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John, look at my age on my profile. :D ;D ;)
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John, look at my age on my profile. :D ;D ;)
Ah, Michael, if only the answer was so easy! For too many, age brings no wisdom ;)
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Agreed Maggi! Some people have 'Many years worth of experience' and some people have 'One years experience many times'. :-X :-X
Michael obviously comes in the first category!
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John, look at my age on my profile. :D ;D ;)
Ah, Michael, if only the answer was so easy! For too many, age brings no wisdom ;)
You rang? ;D
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;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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John, look at my age on my profile. :D ;D ;)
Ah, Michael, if only the answer was so easy! For too many, age brings no wisdom ;)
You rang? ;D
David, as if I would mean you! :-X
Besides, better to have no wisdom than no hope.
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John, look at my age on my profile. :D ;D ;)
Ah, Michael, if only the answer was so easy! For too many, age brings no wisdom ;)
You rang? ;D
David, as if I would mean you! :-X
Besides, better to have no wisdom than no hope.
No wisdom; no hope; no chance, just one of life's losers...all contributions gratefully and unselfconsciously received :P ;D :D
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John, look at my age on my profile. :D ;D ;)
Ah, Michael, if only the answer was so easy! For too many, age brings no wisdom ;)
You rang? ;D
David, as if I would mean you! :-X
Besides, better to have no wisdom than no hope.
No wisdom; no hope; no chance, just one of life's losers...all contributions gratefully and unselfconsciously received :P ;D :D
Gerrroff.... you're not getting any sympathy, either!
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:-*
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Helleborus black, well it is almost black. ;D
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Michael - Very very nice velvety black. Just gorgeous!
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:)
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Helleborus yellow.
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Michael,
Superior black and double yellow. Good deep colour on both. Excellent!!
Some beauties posted throughout the rest of this topic as well. Not too far off hellebore time here now..... only a few months. ;D
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Very beautiful flowers Michael ;D
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The first one came with a collection of 5 supposed double seedlings (unflowered) from Ashfield a number of years ago. I disposed of the doubles to make room for more meconopsis but kept this one. I like its colour and the pale green of its bracts and new leaves.
The other two I grew from Ashfield seed. The black is nodding and very cup shaped compared to Michael's.
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nice double yellow Michael..Im working on some double yellows, as the ones availabe here are more green than yellow, so im back crossing to some nice single yellows and some with red spots and red dark centres..fingers cross they flower this year... :)
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You are all showing such beautiful hellebores. I wish i could grow them.
I once bougth five good hybrids in England, brought them home and lost four the first winter.
I have got foetidus from Spain, Bavaria and provenance unknown. All dead when trying to flower.
I have sown torquatus and all seedlings died the first winter.
Orientalis origin Turkey survives but not all in all winters.
The stars in hardiness are
viride, never a loss in 15 years, thibetanus, never a loss in 10 years ."abshasicus" No losses in ten years. niger, no loss in five years but that is a local clone.
I do have orientallis hybrids - self sown and hardy by natural selection but not so beautiful as those shown here.
If someone has too many seedlings Iwould be glad to try them for hardiness but I have decided not to buy any more. The yield is to low.
It is too early to show any photos. The day before yesterday no one was higher than 5 cm.
Göte
(Envy is one of the seven mortal sins is it? I plead guilty) ;)
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Gote ,I will send you a few. When I am weeding again I will dig up some for you.
cheers
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H. thibetanus
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1-2 Elizabeth Town Hellebores seedlings
3 Pine Knot Farms seedling
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Guff,
Lovely doubles!
Arisaema,
The thibetanus are great!
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Not striking but charming: Helleborus torquatus northern form
I bought it in 1996 from Elizabeth Strangman at her Washfield Nursery.
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I just love the torquatus leaves.
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It might be interesting, to compare the different Helleborus leaves, which have now emerged:
H. atrorubens
H. croaticus
H. multifidus subsp. istriacus
H. multifidus subsp. multifidus
H. multifidus subsp. bocconei
H. odorus
H. torquatus southern form from Montenegro
H. torquatus northern form
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Good range of leaves to show the differences. 8)
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Elizabeth Town Hellebore Aglaia.
Will probably have a darker purple hue/color next year. I grew this one under lights, one year from germination to see a flower.
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One year for a flower? That's terrific, Guff, well done!
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Thanks Maggi.
Wanted to see if I could get one to flower in one years time. In a cool basement they continue to put up more and more leaves. I was feeding them every 12-18 days. I have 3 more Aglaia plants, but they didn't put up a flower stalk.
1-Aglaia
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I like the first one Helleborus`Winter Jewel Double Painted’
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Tom Mitchell of Evolution Plants has been on his travels again and from tomorrow his new list of seeds for sale, and the wonderfully readable catalogues that he produces, with so many tales of dering-do, habitat and local cuisine, quite apart from information on the seeds he offers will also be there to download. The low resolution form is still around 10MB so give the hamster that powers your computer some extra feed tonight!
The catalogue lists seeds of Galanthus, Helleborus and other species that Tom has collected in the wild in 2012. There are three files involved. The first is a high resolution pdf, which displays the images as well as possible. This is a very large file (about 110MB). The second file is a low resolution version of the same file (about 10MB). If you have a slow internet connection, he suggests you download this version. The third file is a pdf order form. All three files will be available on www.evolution-plants.com (http://www.evolution-plants.com) from tomorrow. A printed version of the catalogue will be available next week.
Edit Saturday : The order form doesn't appear to be accessible as yet on th E-P site so I'll add a reduced res. version here
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The catalogue itself is amazing. Someone obviously gave him my name and I got an email with a link to the online version...... a good read in and of itself (is that the right phrase?). So much information. I haven't looked at the prices yet..... probably safer not to I would imagine. :-\
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a good read in and of itself (is that the right phrase?)
It's exactly the right phrase - in several ways! I think it's really well written- so much more than just a catalogue.
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Hi!
This year's second blooming on a mountain Peca!
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-CRdaNDprfSI/UKfgiU7X3TI/AAAAAAAANzA/rJznQxjDwkk/s640/IMG_4353.JPG)
Best Regards! zvone