HELLEBORES
Known as the Christmas and Lenten roses these are the classic winter perennials, well worth growing for their outstanding foliage and wonderful early flowers. They enjoy damp soil and a semi-shaded site although H. foetidus is just as much at home in full sun or dry shade. Intense breeding has produced a cornucopia of colours in recent years some of which have filtered into Australia. These plants tend to be fairly uniform in habit and leaf structure and the cognizant gardener would be advised to try some of the more dainty and slower growing species so as to add depth and interest to their plantings.

argutifolius Pacific Frost Strain This is a variegated version of the Corsican Hellebore originating from Pam Frost's lovely garden in British Columbia. Its foliage is speckled and stippled, sometimes very densely, with cream or white and pink and the young shoots are tinted red. This form grows to about 50 cm and bears green cupped flowers in early spring. FS/1st $6.00

lividus A rare plant in its native island of Majorca and one that proves the exception to the rule that says, "rare is rarely beautiful". Dove-grey and pink-cupped flowers are held above a compact mound of exquisite foliage. The leaves are un-toothed, dark green and deeply veined and laced in cream and silver with purple tinged backs. The whole confection adds up to the true aristocrat of the entire genus. Limit of one per customer FS/1st $8.00

x sternii Blackthorn Strain A recently developed strain of this well-known hybrid developed by Robin White at Blackthorn Nursery. These are compact plants which have pronounced silvery grey, marbled foliage and pink-flushed green flowers, often with purple stems. FS/1st $5.00


x sternii Boughton Beauty Strain A much larger selection that is closer to H. argutifolius although not as vigorous nor as tall, but does have striking, strongly veined foliage, pink stems and pink backs to the leaves. FS/1st $5.00

Hellebore hybridus
These are all seedlings from selected or purchased clones grown here at Hill View arising from their close pollination. Most will be as good as their parents and some will be better.

anemone-centred creams and whites These seedlings are derived from the Gunter Jurgl strain, originally imported as seed from Basil Smith's Linnett Farm nursery in the UK. They will be cream to white, sometimes speckled pink on the ruff and many are showing the desirable tendency to face their flowers outwards instead of hiding them in their folds. FS/1st $7.00

anemone-centred pink and purple strain Seedlings derived from cros sing the double white Betty Ranicar with a large single purple and then selfing and cross pollinating a selection of very large flowered pink to purple anemone-centred offspring. 1st $4.00 or 3 for $10.00

blue/blackish These are seedlings from our hand-pollinated best plants which bear large rounded flowers in blue-bloomed maroon black. These are without exception the most spectacular standouts in our nursery and a good proportion of the seedlings offered here will resemble the originals and some will exceed them. 1st $7.00

double picotee A genuine colour break arising by chance in our nursery from a batch of double pink seedlings. These are fully double, of white to pale pink background colour, but each petal is delicately veined and stippled in darker pink. All the second-generation plants that have flowered so far are reliably picotee although the extent of the "brush marks" does vary between individual plants. We are delighted to offer this very welcome surprise addition to our range. FS/1st $7.00

double pink - Gunter Jurgl Strain These seedlings are from the Gunter Jurgl doubles originally obtained from Germany as well as from some second-generation pink selections resulting from crossing with the Tasmanian white double, Betty Ranicar. All should bear neat but large mid-pink blooms with some spotting, over strong, handsome foliage FS/1st $5.00

double pink/purples - Party Dress Strain These are derived from the daintier flowered, finer leaved torquatus doubles, collectively known by the rather unfortunately twee name of Party Dress Doubles. Bred at Blackthorn Nursery by Robin White these are by no means twee garden plants, being distinctly different from either the Gunter Jurgl or the Betty Ranicar strain in their much more compact habit and darker more delicately attractive foliage. FS/1st $7.00

double primrose/cream These seedlings are from a group of torquatus doubles obtained from Clifton Homestead Nursery in NZ. True to their breed they are compact plants with deeply cut foliage and fully double, neatly layered blooms ranging from primrose to cream. An exciting offering and possibly the first by an Australian nursery. FS/1st $9.00

double white/cream spotted Seedlings from an exciting new strain derived from Basil Smith?Äôs breeding with the German doubles, "Snow Queen" and "Gunter Jurgl". Fully double, compact cream to white, outward-facing flowers finely spotted or lightly stippled in pink to lilac-purple with a hazy green central zone. This is a neater counterpoint to the bigger, more blowsy Betty Ranicar strain. FS/1st $5.00

experimental hybrids Over a given season we will always end up with more seedlings from experimental cross-pollination than we can possibly grow on. This year we have pooled together a range of these and offer them as a lucky dip to our customers. Crosses include doubles with picotees and very dark plants, yellow with picotees, apple blossom with picotees and doubles and more. Most will flower next season so no long waits! 1st $5.00 each or 3 for $12.00

picotee Seedlings from a number of stock plants which bear large, rounded flowers with either white or pink as the ground colour. All have a red to lilac edge around each of the petals. In some, the backs of the sepals have a tracery of darker veining and occasionally this shows up on the interior surface as well. These are strikingly handsome plants with a definite edge. 1st $5.00

picotees webbed An intriguing group of plants derived from picotees where spots and lines occur in distinct lines or arrays running outwards from the centre of the flower, hence the description of "webbed". These have a white or pink ground and sometimes bear pink pollen. FS/1st $7.00

pink These are seedlings from an outstanding plant which every winter sends forth large, perfectly rounded and outward-facing flowers in a rich clear pink. The parent is a strong grower bearing broadly divided, fresh green foliage and a mass of thickly-textured blooms throughout winter and is definitely one of handful of candidates for "Desert Island Plant" - except the climate won't suit! Creme de la creme! 1st $5.00

purple Seedlings from a small selected group of plants in good plum and purple shades. Most parents have even bowl-shaped flowers and some of these will be better than the earlier generation. FS $5.00

reverse picotees An exquisite strain where the background flower colour is solid reddish maroon with a striking band of white or creamy-white around the edge of each sepal (petal). The result is an exact reverse colour orientation to a conventional picotee flower and bears a dramatic resemblance to a Japanese woodcut! FS/1st $5.00

slate Large, perfectly rounded flowers of the most arrestingly beautiful smoky-grey marks these seedlings from our treasured Ashwood Nursery stock plants. Holds colour throughout much of winter as the seedpods darken further from sea green to amethyst. FS/1st $7.00

white dark centre A really striking form which never ceases to draw comment and covetousness from visitors to our nursery. Flowers are large and rounded with a prominent dark-red throat, with red nectaries adding to the drama. Limit of one per customer Ist $8.00

yellow/primrose These are seedlings grown from our very best solid-yellow flowering plants which bear large, cup-shaped flowers of an even, rich buttery-yellow. Foliage is strong and crisp green and remains disease free throughout the summer. Expect exceptional plants from this super strain. 1st $5.00 or 3 for $12.00

yellow/primrose picotees Seedlings resulting from a cross between our best yellow flowered plants and a stunning primrose picotee, which is rimmed and veined in crimson-red. The results have been excellent so far but very few available so limit of one per customer. FS/1st $8.00