People complain a bit about how Hellebores look scruffy out of season, but I actually really like how they look at this time of year. The seed pods are fantastically sculptural, and the leaves (which I leave, eschewing the fad for snapping them off for tidiness) provide shelter for the soil and numerous tiny beasties.
The large singles seem to produce the best and biggest seed pods. I've photographed a couple of doubles; see how the pods are smaller, or entirely absent. The seeds germinate well, but the plants take a long time to mature to flowering. The leaves are very attractive when they're young though so I find myself transporting seedlings about the place for the sake of their little glossy leaves.
As you can see, the snails do move in eventually and make lace of these fat flowers in the end. By September, any left will have dried to crispness and I can just snap off any remnants, or leave it for the wind to tidy. And even then, as wholly dead flowers, they will still look good.
The large singles seem to produce the best and biggest seed pods. I've photographed a couple of doubles; see how the pods are smaller, or entirely absent. The seeds germinate well, but the plants take a long time to mature to flowering. The leaves are very attractive when they're young though so I find myself transporting seedlings about the place for the sake of their little glossy leaves.
As you can see, the snails do move in eventually and make lace of these fat flowers in the end. By September, any left will have dried to crispness and I can just snap off any remnants, or leave it for the wind to tidy. And even then, as wholly dead flowers, they will still look good.
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