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Comment by paula on December 13, 2009 at 10:10pm

again i d plant for all seasons=like dogwood bark is red so in winter you have that color! in spring you have the flowers! also yews have red berries in winter & ofcoarse brillant green , i have also tried to add naturaL WOOD COLOR WITH CEDAR SHAKE TO THE FRONT OF MY HOUSE TO GIVE THE WOOD LOOK FOR WINTER & TO OFF SET WHITE SNOW, I HAVE PAINTED ALL MY TRIM W/ A BLUEGREEN & BURGENDY BARN RED! TO ADD MORE COLOR VOID OF THE FLOWERS!

Comment by Dawn Taillon on December 13, 2009 at 8:54pm

Is heat an issue? Maybe that was it, because we get 2 to 3 months of 100 -115 degrees here. I sure like them though.

Comment by BoiseNoise on December 13, 2009 at 6:41pm

Comment by BoiseNoise on December 13, 2009 at 6:37pm

I'm not sure exactly where you're located. Some hellebores are hardier than others. Helleborus foetidus (I like that one because it can handle quite a lot of sun) and the orientalis hybrids survive the winters here in Boise, but lividus doesn't (at least for me). Niger is supposed to be even hardier, although I haven't tried growing one. I have a Purpurascens that has been doing fine for several years; it is supposed to be hardy to -10 F. Of these types, foetidus is closest to being evergreen. It looks really nice in the late winter/ early spring for a very long time! I'm not sure what sort of drainage needs hellebores have . . . I live on a hill that is similar to a big sand dune, so drainage is never an issue here.

Comment by Dawn Taillon on December 10, 2009 at 12:38pm

Everyone told me they freeze here in the high desert, we already got in the low 20's this week with these storms sweeping the country. I lack drainage so a lot of plants do not do well with those issues and I have a huge plot so a lot of desert weeding and lots of composting, raised beds etc. Luckily I have a mountain of well rotted compost, but it is too cold, and I am not in the mood to wheel it around today. I need to do it though and till it in too.

Comment by paula on December 5, 2009 at 5:37pm

I TRY TOO BUT USALLY THE GARDEN TELLS ME WHAT GOING TO GROW WHERE & WHEN & I FOLLOW ITS LEAD! i'M GOING CRAZY OVER HELLOBORES(CHRISTSMAS ROSE) BUT CAN'T FIND THEM OTHER THEN IN MAIL CATALOGS! THEY ARE HARDY WINTER & I BELEIVE ESERT TOO! VERY BEAUITFUL & EVER GREENS!