Helleborus 2018

[cohan]

Yes, super beautiful It is funny to see grown from seeds Helleborus flowering. I have my first products flowering this spring - from a double purple H. torquatus. Just one double and all the singles variations on the purple/greenish.
I'm looking forward to more seedlings flowering in the next years 

Love the singles, great colours

[cohan]

This Helleborus was sown in 2011 from seeds a friend of a friend had taken from the wild in Kalofer, Bulgaria.
I have thought it could be H.odorus, what do you think?
It is mostly decidous in hard winters but may keep it's leaves in a mild winter. Flowers are yellow/lime green (more yellow when they emerge), small and cup shaped.

lovely

[fermi de Sousa]

Last weekend our local AGS Vic Group visited Peter Leigh's "Post Office Farm Hellebore Nursery" in Ashbourne in the Macedon Ranges.
Peter began his love affair with hellebores when he read a book on the genus in the 1980s.
He started buying in seeds from overseas from sellers such as Ashwood and Will McLewin and soon his suburban backyard was bursting at the seems.A nursery-owner friend offered him room to grow on his seedlings and called him excitedly when they started to flower - these were a step above what had been available in Australia up until then.
There was no stopping after that!
In 2002 he moved to Ashbourne and started the nursery and it has progressed ever since.
He offers mail-order but also opens the nursery each Sunday during the winter ( we got in on a Saturday 'cos we're friends )
1) Sign
2) Peter gives us his introductory talk
3 & 4) Sales area
5) Trolley of big pots
Lots more to come!
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

1) display bed
2) some species hellebores
3) sign for species on sale
4) display with gold leaf H. foetidus
5) Helleborus x sternii "Ashwood Strain"
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

Some individual flowers of Helleborus x hybridus:
1) double pink
2) primrose with dark centre
3) double pink with light centre
4) single black
5) red-spotted single yellow
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

More H. x hybridus individual flowers"
1) double black
2) double speckled pink
3) double soft pink
4) double picottee, dark edge
5) double primrose with red spots
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

1) double dark purple reverse picotee
2) double white (one I bought!)
3 & 4) two different double speckled pink with dark edge
5) single yellow
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

1) lightly spotted light pink
2) double pale pink dark edge
3) double dark purple
4) double speckled pink with dark edge
5) two-tone yellow-purple
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

My word! What a great selection of plants - and beautifully  presented - with those info boards etc - most impressive/
 
When I saw this, though....


 silver leaf Helleborus x sternii "Ashwood Strain"
.... I nearly fell off my seat!!! That is one  STUNNING hellebore !

[fermi de Sousa]

Peter took us on a tour "behind the scenes":
1) Seedling areas
2) seed pots - each pot gets around 20 seeds
3) newly emerged seedlings - the late onset of the cold weather meant that germinations were later than usual
4) freshly potted seedlings - some of the 70,000 or so for the season!
5) growing on area
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

silver leaf Helleborus x sternii "Ashwood Strain"
.... I nearly fell off my seat!!! That is one  STUNNING hellebore !

Well, Maggi, you know Ashwood is full of quality plants
And sometimes they allow other growers to get their hands on them!
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

1) Some some Ashwood influence: pink H. niger x vesicarius
2) Leaf with H. niger influence
3 & 4) pink H. niger
5) double pink H. niger
cheers
fermi

[fermi de Sousa]

Peter then took us into the inner sanctum: the stock area where pollination and crosses are made
1) Peter among the stock plants
2) in the stock area
3) H. lividus stock plants
4) H. vesicarius
5) H. thibetanus with seed-bag
cheers
fermi

[Maggi Young]

Look at the size of those stock pots - glad I don't have to move any of those!

[fermi de Sousa]

Look at the size of those stock pots - glad I don't have to move any of those!

Hi Maggi,
I think they stay where they are put!
 
1) Stock plant with tags - flowers which are hand pollinated get tagged so they know which seeds to bag
2) H. niger "double white" stock plants
3) "Double White" H. niger close-up
4 & 5) Stock Plants
cheers
fermi