by KYW's Fran Sorin

If you don’t know about a magnificent winter blooming perennial, it’s time you learned about it.

Depending on the variety, helleborus is a mid-winter to mid-spring magnificent blooming perennial. One of my favorites, Helleborus niger, commonly known as the Christmas rose, is a clumping perennials with dark green leaves and purple stems.  It has saucer shaped flowers that are white, often pink flushed and greenish white center. It grows only 12 inches in height and is hardy in Zones 4-8.

Helleborus orientalis, known as the lenten rose, is similar to the Christmas rose in several ways.  It has thick stems that bear outward facing, saucer shaped flowers that face downwards and that are either white or greenish in color. As this flower ages, it becomes pinker.

Either of these plants are musts for your winter garden.

Contact Fran Sorin at fransorin.com.