Progress, Hellebore

Progress on the roses.  I feel relieved.  I've started on the climbing roses, which I always leave for last.  The worst for last. 
Photobucket
The Corsican Hellebore, Helleborus argutifolius, was what this was labelled, but I'm not entirely sure.  Why is it pale yellow instead of pale green?  And why does it stink?  Getting up close for a photo I met a skunky smell.   The plant sat for nearly two years doing absolutely nothing.  A couple of months ago it finally started to grow, which is just fine.  I wasn't in any more hurry.  Neither apparently was the Hellebore.
Photobucket
It is shaded by Acer palmatum 'Oshio Bene' most of the time, except for now when the maple is almost completely bare.  Acer palmatums are not speed demons, either. 
Photobucket
It's lovely not to be in a hurry.  When the pruning is done, when the last Cercis stump is out and all the plants that need moving are moved, when the weeds are pulled and the beds are raked and the mulching is completed, then I won't be in a hurry anymore.  Spring can take its own sweet time, and so can I. 

Comments

  1. H. argutifolius doesn't much care for getting moved or transplanted, and so it sulks for a year or two in its new location before deciding to grow. I think the growers tend to play fast and loose with the color descriptions in this group. I grow Blue Lady and Red Lady, and they are blue and red only by the greatest stretch of the imagination. I also grow a cultivar called Ivory Prince, and it's always looked yellowy pale green to me, much like yours. This may be related to how much sun it gets--more sun/more yellow; less sun/more pale green. As for the funky skunky smell, is it possible that instead of H. argutifolius, you have a specimen of H. foetidus, aka the stinking hellebore? Annie's Annuals has it in their data base, but they are not selling it now.
    http://www.anniesannuals.com/plt_lst/lists/general/lst.gen.asp?prodid=2485

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I did think about foetidus, but the foliage isn't right. Yes, certainly fast & loose with color descriptions, like daylilys...

      Delete
  2. The flower on your hellebore is so beautiful even if is does not have a lovely fragrance. I bought a hellebore with a pale green flower many years ago, it has not grown much, has never flowered again, I was thinking of moving mine to see what happens. Any advice please?
    xoxoxo ♡

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Dianne, I am no hellebore expert, but perhaps a bit more sun? Are they in total shade?

      http://www.hellebores.org/growing/propagating.html

      Delete
  3. When you've finished everything maybe plunk some chairs down on your balcony for a sit-down? nah, probably not. :) Happy pruning!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I was thinking of chairs, but actually getting out there for a sit-down is an iffy proposition.

      Delete
  4. Thank you for the link dear Hoover, yes, perhaps they need a bit more sun.
    xoxoxo ♡

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Always interested in your thoughts.

Any comments containing a link to a commercial site with the intent to promote that site will be deleted. Thank you for your understanding on this matter.