Our chosen plant for March is the delicate, yet architectural, Helleborus Purpurascens.
This perennial plant will flower enthusiastically as early as December, and by March the cup-shaped blooms will be at their best, nodding happily away and brightening up a shady corner of your garden. The petals, in their vintage shade of pinky-purple, will bring a timeless elegance to any planting plan, and look especially good when planted in groups of five or three. They bring colour and interest to winter gardens and bridge the gap between the snowdrops finishing and the daffodils beginning.
Thanks to the early flowering of this plant, they make a perfect addition to any wildlife friendly garden, providing plenty of pollen for foraging insects like honeybees or queen bumblebees at a time when conditions are bleak, and food is in short supply
Originating from eastern Europe, this Hellebore prefers dappled shade and thrives in moisture-retentive soil. It needs to be well-watered during dry spells, and kept out of icy winds, but is on the whole, a very low-maintenance plant that will do well in our sheltered Cambridge gardens. Cut back the stems and mulch well in the autumn to be rewarded with new growth early in the year.
As this plant is clump-forming, it provides excellent ground cover in borders for most of the year and makes a very pretty addition to woodland style planting.
If you are looking for a Cambridge based garden designer and are interested in planting plans that provide year-round colour and interest, then please contact us today.
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