I love Hellebores! I love the toothy, dark green leaves and for me the gorgeous flowers are just a bonus in winter when we need beauty the most. I must admit I am a fan of the common and variable coloured Helleborus x hybridus but if you get the collectors urge to have them all there are many spectacular varieties to fall in love with.

Phoenix Perennials has a great event celebrating this winter wonder called Hellebore Hurrah! on March 5, 6th and 7th, 2010. At this seasonal event you can get close and personal with this beloved plant. I'll bet that you fall in love with at least one and start a collection of your own in your garden. There are singles, doubles, semi-doubles, anemone-flowered and other outrageous Hellebores to satisfy all tastes. I tend to prefer the simple flower forms and don't mind an unpredictable colour but specialists seek out the exotic such as the nearly black Helleborus 'Black Diamond' or something with lots of ruffly petals such as Helleborus odorus 'Double Queen'.

I think my favorite hellebore is Helleborus foetidus 'Wester Flisk' as I believe the foliage with its maroon flushed leaves and deeply divided shape is just as beautiful as the vibrant apple green flowers in winter. There is something so fresh and optimistic about the colour of this plant that it just makes me really happy to look at it. It maintains a good form with a more consistent shape than the other hellebores that replace their leaves after flowering so I find it reliable as well.

There are enough varieties of this exceptional plant to suit all tastes to make sure Hellebores get included in every Vancouver garden design.