Helleborus niger "Double Fashion"

In the last few years Hellebores have become immensely popular for the winter/early spring garden and quite rightly so.  Who couldn’t appreciate the attractive foliage and the stunning flowers.  The flowers appear in a wide range of colours from almost black to pink to red to spotted to white.  They also appear as singles, anemone flowered or, and this is the one I like best, double flowering.  Just a few years ago double flowered hellebores would cost up to $50.00 for a small pot of them but now, thanks to selective breeding and tissue culture, the cost for them is much more affordable.  Helleborus niger “Double Fashion” is one of the newest and most attractive of the white, double flowering hellebores.  This is a new introduction from Holland that forms a sturdy clump of leathery, evergreen leaves and reddish stems that hold fluffy, double, pure white flowers with striking yellow stamens.  The flowers will appear in mid winter to early spring sometimes even appearing around Christmas.  Like all hellebores it does well in part shade although it will do fine in full sun as long as it isn’t too dry.  It prefers well-drained but moist soil and like all hellebores resent being moved or re-potted so make sure you plant it in an area where you want it to stay.  We will be carrying Helleborus niger “Double Fashion” in January and the cost will be $19.00 each, much better than the $50.00 double flowered hellebores used to be.

Zone: 4
Light: Shade to part shade but will take sun if it isn’t too dry.
Soil: Moist, well-drained
Height: 16 inches (40cm)
Spread: 16 inches (40cm)