Lenten Rose planted along our creek
Below are 3 reasons to plant the Lenten Rose this fall in your garden. We love this plant, also known as hellebores, and sometimes refer to it as the “plant it and forget it” plant. It survives our sometimes 0 degree winter weather here in Nashville and Middle Tennessee as well as the hot and humid summers! What more can you ask for?
3 Reasons to Plant the Lenten Rose this Fall:
1. Excellent for early color in shady herbaceous borders and areas between deciduous shrubs and under trees. None of the hellebores mind competition from tree roots.
2. The Lenten Rose is an evergreen and also blooms in late winter or even sometimes as early as January, depending on the weather and where you live.
3. These hardy perennials are very tolerant of many soil conditions. If you give them a good start, they will grow easily on any soil from chalk to clay. But just like children, they thrive in good growing conditions and some tender loving care.
Growing Conditions and General Care
They are happiest in limy soils with a pH of 7. It’s a good idea to do a soil test to determine how much lime you may need to add.
Remember this is the ideal, in reality we have never tested the soil that our hellebores are in and they do just fine.
Being avid gardeners though, we did have good amended soil to begin with. Organic matter is a crucial part of good soil prep and leaf-mold is an excellent choice. If that is not available then rotted garden compost is also good.
Basically, just use whatever organic material you have on hand is just fine.
As far as general care goes, these perennials don’t really require much care at all. That being said, cutting back some of the dead leaves during the autumn and early winter when the garden is put to bed is all that is needed.
Be sure and plant Lenten Roses in your garden this fall. Alternatively, you may also plant them in early spring with great success. Let us know how you like them!
Need to purchase lenten roses in the Nashville area? Contact us here for great prices on these locally grown gems.
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