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REWARDING TO GROW: left to right, stinking hellebore, iris reticulata and Oriental hellebore
the coarse old leaves as the flower buds appear, it makes the flowers stand out more and gives them a touch of elegance that they lack with the leaves. Some varieties are more exacting to grow, the classic Christmas rose, helleborus niger, being the most demanding of them all. It only really thrives on an acidic soil which is enriched with leaf mould and even then I’ve found it a bit pernickety. Don’t undervalue the common albeit unromantically named stinking hellebore, helleborus foetidus, though. Its apple-green flowers set against lush, deep green, fingered leaves do a lot to brighten up and dark spot where little else will grow. It’s tolerant of all sorts of soils and situations and will seed about freely – too freely – so just weed them out where they’re not wanted.
Scent of the spring But perhaps my favourite winter bloomers are the scented shrubs. And I’m not alone. On a recent Radio 4 Gardeners’ Question Time Matthew Biggs extolled the virtues of viburnum x
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bodnantense Dawn for its welcome winter flowers and their stunning fragrance. It’s a big, boisterous shrub with pleasant foliage in summer and good autumn colour but in winter it produces clusters of the most delicate pink, heavenly scented flowers which will stop you in your tracks. For the smaller garden, I would recommend the Christmas box, Sarcococca humilis, with shiny evergreen leaves and the tiniest creamy flowers which pack a punch of scent that is truly staggering. Forgiving of soil and situation, it will thrive in the shady, cold corners that spell disaster for many other plants. But make sure it’s near a path or by your front or back door as, although it’s a neat little plant that looks good all year round, those tiny flowers produce a delicious honey-vanilla scent that will knock you sideways every time you pass by. ■ Jane Moore is the award-winning head gardener at the Bath Priory. Read her blog http://janethegardener.wordpress.com or follow her on Twitter: janethegardener.
FEBRUARY 2012
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