These have attractive coloured ruffles in the centre of the flower.  They are the intermediate form of the Hellebore flower between the singles and  the fully double flowers.  Mostly dark central ruffles on paler flowers in pink/violet/white shades.  A small proportion of these may be doubles.

This strain has proven to be a bit of a challenge.  Still on ‘probation’ due to some inconsistency but holding its place in the list on account of its potential.  At its best, a beautiful colour form, in shades ranging from pale apricot to orangey peach.

These have an interesting ‘painted’ effect of pink to red markings on both back and front of the sepals over a paler creamy base colour, often with darker nectaries.  A bit hard to describe, but very distinctive.

These are selected from crosses between our very darkest forms.  Very dark purple to almost ‘black’, a mysterious colour found in few other garden plants.  Many also have attractive dark coloured young foliage.  These can become addictive.

New for 2010.  This year we have separated these out from the pale pinks to offer as a distinct strain.  These have dark pink flowers, often with attractive darker coloured foliage, making for quite distinctive plants.

Possibly our most stunning double flowered form, we owe these to the breeding work of Ernie and Marietta O’Byrne in Oregon, USA.  The back of the petals are a glossy dark pink to burgundy colour while the insides are a paler pink tinged white.  The overall effect is quite special we think. 

Hand pollinated seedlings from selected double forms.  This year we have selected from our best pale shell pinks for this strain.  Most of these are derived from the iconic Australian double ‘Mrs Betty Ranicar’.  These are good vigorous plants.

These were the surprise result from crossing some of the different anemone centred forms.  White to pale pink background colour with very distinctive reddish veining along the fully double petals.  We flowered the second generation crosses from these last year and they have proven quite a stable strain.

These are all crosses from a wonderful batch of double flowered plants I obtained from Basil Smith in the UK.  They are derived from the German bred double ‘Gunther Jurgl’.  As plants, they are more compact in habit than the typical Australian bred doubles but with well shaped often more outward facing flowers with characteristic spotting.

One of the latest Hellebore colours to ‘go double’, these are hand pollinated seedlings from a handful of double primrose yellows we have collected from imported seed.  Still very rare and sought after.

The results of our own breeding combined with some fabulous imports.  These range from purple through to almost black and some have slatey colours.  We first flowered these in 2006.  I almost got frostbite from having my socks knocked off by these beauties. 

Selected from our best stock plants.  Over the past few years this has become one of our best and most reliable strains with good sized fully double reddish/burgundy coloured flowers on good vigorous plants.

These are derived from a batch of plants with quite distinct pointed petals and a very deep rose pink colour.  Sufficiently different from our usual double pinks to create a separate strain, these are beautiful hellebores.

I really want to keep all of these for myself – they are that good.  These are the progeny of some exciting new doubles we obtained from leading overseas breeders.  These are mostly creamy through to apricotish base colours with pinkish petal edges.  Beautiful things.

The classic double white form.  These are seedlings from the original ‘Mrs Betty Ranicar’.  We find that the white doubles really pack some punch in terms of flower impact in the garden.  Happily we also find that these tend to come pretty much 100% true to type. 

The fine red spotting on a white background much admired in Hellebores on a fully double flower.  These are also good vigorous plants and make quite an impact in the winter garden.  A charming new double flowered form.

New for 2010.  Bred from some lovely large rounded pale shell-pink flowered plants raised from several overseas seed sources.  In the garden these can be some of the most effective Hellebores.  Particularly useful to lighten up the darker flowered forms in massed plantings. 

Seed from our best picotee forms.  Mostly a white background with the sepals delicately veined and rimmed with pink or red.  Some will also have a central flush of colour on the inside of the flower and dark red nectaries.  These are superb plants and still quite rare. 

We have selected these from some lovely pinks with dark centres amongst our stock plants.  Pale to mid pink flowers with contrasting dark red to purple nectaries and often a flush of similar colour on the centre of the flower.  Very special.

We have had lots of interest in this strain from people who have seen photographs of these plants.  So we made the effort to hand pollinate enough to offer them in the catalogue.  Dramatic purple blotches of colour on a pink background color – very abstract art.

A particular specialty and favourite.  Lovely rich plums and purples bred from our best stock plants.  A patch of these can look stunning when backlit by the low winter sun.  Good shaped flowers on robust and vigorous plants.

Possibly our favourite colour in the hybrids.  This strain should not include any spotting, just the pure primrose yellows.  Be aware that Hellebore ‘yellow’ is a pale primrose shade rather than bright buttercup yellow. 

These are primrose yellow base colour with red nectaries and usually a flush of red in the centre of the flower.  Really lovely plants.  We have even remembered to get a photo of one in flower last year so you can see why we are so keen on this strain.

Pale primrose yellow base colour with stunning red veining and often also with dark red nectaries.  Some have red backs with primrose yellow interior.  A new form developed by Ashwood Nurseries in the UK.  Quite superb.

Good primrose yellow with varying amounts of red spotting on the interior of the flower.  The red spotting on the yellow flower is particularly uplifting in the middle of winter.

A useful intermediate colour between the pinks and the true plums, Hellebore ‘red’ is more ‘burgundy’ than bright ‘post box’ red.  Good clear red H. x hybridus is still not common. 

These have a lovely glossy burgundy back to the flower and a contrasting pale pink interior with red veining.  Very unusual and special.

New for 2010.  First time that we have enough of these to offer.  Deep burgundy coloured flowers with a distinct pale pink edge giving a jewel-like effect.  Quite unique and stunning.

An unusual and striking addition to the Helleborus colour palette.  Can vary from a pale silvery grey to a mid grey, often with hints of mauve and with a lovely ‘bloom’ overlay.  Combines beautifully with groups of pink and red flowered hybrids in the garden.  

After an absence from this list of a few years these have made a comeback in response to a growing interest in the importance of foliage.  These crosses, involving the species H. torquatus, have much more finely divided leaves than the usual H x hybridus, making for a more dramatic foliage plant.  Flowers will be in shades of purple.

These are the offspring of some lovely large flowered whites we have selected over the years.  We particularly aim for good rounded flower shape.  Mostly unspotted whites but some may have a little light red spotting.  Better than your average white flowered hybrids.

A really beautiful and quite distinctive form.  Large white to cream coloured flowers with striking red coloured nectaries often accompanied by a dramatic dense central flush of red spotting. 

One of the classic H. x hybridus forms.  Good sized bowl shaped white flowers with prominent red spotting.  These are bred from some superb parent plants.

Hellebores can look especially effective in the garden when planted in good sized drifts.  For those planting out an area with Hellebores we have put together a collection of H x hybridus in a proven colour combination: a mix of pinks, reds (burgundies) and plum-purples.  These colours combine beautifully.

This year there is a choice of 5, 7 or 9 plant versions of the classic woodland mix, enough to plant out an area of about 2, 3 or 4 square metres respectively.  We have also provided an appropriate reduction on the standard individual plant prices.

One of the real foliage stars of the genus.  Bold leathery spiny edged leaves.  Reaches up to 1 metre tall.  Each stem is topped with a large inflorescence of green flowers.  Tough once established.  Formerly known as ‘H. corsicus’.

Helleborus foetidus is another wonderful species with fine finger like leaflets giving an attractive foliage effect.  This form is a Will McLewin selection.  A very neat upright form with clusters of small pale green flowers and strong dark green foliage.  Grows to about 70cm.

Another Will McLewin selection.  To us the most distinctive element of this strain is its attractive pale greyish green foliage colour, quite distinct from the usual dark green of this species.  This form reaches about 60cm in height.

A stunning combination of distinctive foliage and flowers make this rare Hellebore one of the treasures of the genus.  The foliage is a darkish green and boldly veined in silver with a distinct pink flush to the underside and reddish stems.  The flowers are small but displayed in showy clusters with attractive mushroomy pink shades.  Grows to about 45cm tall.

Helleborus x sternii is the hybrid between H. argutifolius and H. lividus.  This strain has been developed by Ashwood Nursery in the UK and we have worked on it to select the best forms.  A lot of H. lividus influence in the intense silver veining but with a dramatic jagged edge to the foliage, pink stems and flowers.  A real attention grabber.  To about 30cm.

We selected some plants from a batch of imported H. x sternii seed a number of years ago and from them have developed this new strain which we are very happy with.  Lovely smokey blue green foliage with plenty of red on leaf stems and pinkish flowers.  Vigorous and tough and growing to about 45cm

This cross between H. niger and H. lividus was first grown by Helen Ballard in the 1970s.  It is variable in leaf and flower colouring but usually has good sized creamy flowers often flushed pinkish brown, held well above handsome deep green leathery foliage often with some silver markings.  Tougher than either parent and growing to about 45cm in height.  Both this and the following do well in a pot.

This is the cross between H. niger and H. x sternii.  With very similar parentage to H x ballardiae it is also close in appearance.  One difference between these two hybrids I have found is the usually serrate leaf margins of H. x ericsmithii reflecting the influence of H. argutifolius in its genetics.  This is also usually a little larger growing and more vigorous.  A wonderful plant.

Double forms of this species are much rarer than with H. x hybridus.  These came from Chris Vermeire in Belgium.  They tend to be smaller in stature than the standard niger but have the attraction of the semi to fully doubled white flowers.  All hand pollinated.

Large open white flowers held singly on stout stems and distinctive leathery dark green foliage.  These have been hand pollinated from some selected large flowered plants.  Needs a cool moist spot with reasonable drainage.  The addition of some organic matter and a little dolomite may help.  A low growing species to about 30cm tall.