Roses are a gorgeous plant in any garden, but once summer is over and the blooms die back, you may be grieving those stunning flowers - that’s where hellebores, also known as winter roses, have their time to shine.
Here’s everything you need to know about planting winter roses in your garden for stunning displays throughout the colder months.
What are winter roses?
Hellebores are called winter roses because they bloom during the coldest months of the year with cup-shaped flowers that look like single roses. The difference between summer roses and winter roses is that hellebores actually belong to the buttercup family, but these hardy flowers make great additions to the garden.
Their flowers come in a wide range of colours, including white, cream, pink, purple and deep burgundy. One of the best things about hellebores is their timing. While much of the garden can look bare and dormant through winter, hellebores can provide a welcome burst of colour from late winter into early spring.
They’re also hardy, long-lived and relatively low maintenance, making them a great choice if you want winter interest without lots of upkeep.
What type of hellebores are best for winter?
There are lots of different hellebore varieties to choose from, but some are particularly good for creating a beautiful winter display.
When choosing your hellebore, consider the colour you want to introduce to your garden as well as where you're planning to plant it. Hellebores can look particularly effective planted in groups, beneath trees or alongside other winter-interest plants.
Christmas Carol
Christmas Carol is a beautiful white-flowering hellebore that produces its blooms around the winter period. Its crisp white flowers can really stand out against darker winter foliage and make it a lovely choice for brightening up shady areas of the garden.
Ice Rose Series
The Ice Rose series offers a selection of hellebores with beautiful rose-like blooms in a range of colours. They're a great option if you want to create a more colourful winter display and their long flowering period can provide interest well into spring.
Which plants grow best alongside hellebores?
Hellebores grow best alongside shade-tolerant companion plants such as ferns, spring bulbs and hostas.
Good companion plants for hellebores include:
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Ferns: Their delicate, feathery foliage creates a lovely contrast with hellebores' larger leaves and flowers.
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Spring bulbs: Snowdrops, crocuses and other early-flowering bulbs can complement hellebores beautifully, creating a colourful spring display.
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Hostas: Their lush foliage works well alongside hellebores in shady borders, although hostas will emerge later in spring.
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Heucheras: Available in a range of foliage colours, heucheras can add extra texture and colour even when other plants aren't flowering.
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Cyclamen: Winter-flowering cyclamen can be planted alongside hellebores to create a beautiful cold-season display.
A combination of these will add spring colour and interesting foliage throughout the year.
How to care for hellebores
Hellebores are low maintenance plants that need minimal attention once established, providing year round interest beyond winter too.
Where to plant hellebores
Hellebores prefer sheltered positions with plenty of light but partial shade so tend to work well planted underneath trees. They also don't like sitting in waterlogged ground, so avoid areas where water tends to collect.
Do hellebores like sun or shade?
Hellebores generally prefer partial shade, although they can tolerate different light levels depending on the variety and conditions.
Morning sun or dappled shade is ideal. They can cope with more sunlight during the winter months, but too much strong summer sun can cause the leaves to scorch and the plant to dry out.
If you're planting hellebores in a sunny position, make sure the soil doesn't dry out too quickly.
Can hellebores grow in pots?
Hellebores can be grown successfully in the ground or in pots, making them a great option for patios, balconies and smaller gardens.
If you are creating a container display then choose a reasonably large pot with good drainage holes and use a good-quality, free-draining compost. Container-grown hellebores will generally need more regular watering than plants growing in the ground, particularly during dry periods.
Alternatively, you can plant hellebores directly in the ground such as in borders.
When to cut back hellebores
One of the best times to tidy hellebores is late winter or early spring, before the new flowers fully emerge.
Remove old, damaged or tatty leaves at the base of the plant to make space for the new growth and allow the flowers to take centre stage. Hellebores do spread by growing larger clumps and by self-seeding.
Once the flowers have faded, you can leave the foliage in place to continue providing interest through spring and summer.
What to do with hellebores in summer
Hellebores are dormant in the summer but will still provide greenery and structure in their foliage. It’s best to keep the plants watered during prolonged dry periods, particularly if they're growing in containers or a sunnier position.
There's no need to cut the whole plant back after flowering. Instead, remove any damaged or unhealthy leaves and allow the healthy foliage to continue feeding the plant.
As temperatures drop and the seasons change, your hellebores will begin preparing for another winter display.
Feel inspired to add hellebores to your garden this Autumn? Pop in-store this season and find high-quality winter roses at Almondsbury!