Hellebores and Witch Hazel

Hellebores

Although it is still very cold and miserable, the garden is waking up. I can't go out except to the compost heap because the ground is very full of water, but I can see all sorts of things in bud. My favourites at the moment are the hellebores which love it here and grow all over the place. They like moist but well drained soil so are perfect for this garden, which dries out in summer. And they like sun but don't mind shade so almost anywhere in the garden will suit them. I think I got all my hellebores from Ashwood Nurseries. They have a really good web site with places to stay as well as plants and ideas.

Double hellebore

My favourite hellebore is a white double one which is the first to flower and I've had it so long I really need to divide it. They mostly grow with flowers facing the ground so if you have a bank to plant them on where you can see their faces, so much the better.  My garden is flat as flat but I love them anyway. 

           

Hellebores

                                     

The  other thing fully out at the moment is the witch hazel, Hamamelis x intermedia- I think it is Jelena.  It is a beautiful bronze colour, rather than the normal yellow and is full of flowers this year. 

Witch hazel and tree fern

Witch hazel