This month, we excited to tell you about the amazing (Hellebrous) Lenten Rose! The name originates from the fact that they often bloom early, right around the Christian season of Lent. The gorgeous blooms will elicit lots of Oooh’s and Aaah’s this month and next – and they are tough as nails to boot!
The easy-to-grow Lenten Rose is a combination of lovely evergreen foliage and beautiful winter blossoms in a variety of colors. If you have a shady spot in your garden or landscape to which you’d love to add some color, the Lenten Rose is your solution. Shady conditions actually work to preserve the vibrant color.
The blooms are not actually flower petals – they are sepals! Sepals are similar to petals but last much longer. Even after the sepals are spent, the leaves mature to a shiny dark green making it a great addition to your shade garden year round. Furthermore, since it is a perennial, you can count on enjoying it year after year!
Deer-resistant Lenten Roses will often reseed and spread over time, making for a lovely groundcover with their foliage. We like to pair them with hostas – another shade-lover that looks great nestled up to these.
