Hellebore orientalis

We are having to change our sources of Hellebore orientalis and there are, and will be more, interesting new strains and, for the first time, vegetatively propagated varieties. Hellebores are notoriously difficult to micropropagate, hence the price of H. ori ‘Swirling Skirts’. I can’t find a good picture of this, but a poor one I found shows broad outer petals with many shorter inner petals, all in clear white with red spotting. It could be lovely. H. ori ‘Metallic Blue’ will be like our previous ‘Smokey Purple’. H. ori. ‘Double Queen Mixed’ derives from Elizabeths Strangman’s breeding work and is said to flower 100% double. I am a little dubious of this claim (because of the company who is making it), but we may yet be happily surprised.

Amsonia tabernaemontana

We are offering the perennial Amsonia tabernaemontana for the first time. This is a larger ‘Blue Star’ than A. orientalis growing to 90cm height and spread rather than 45cm. It bears the same starry pale blue flowers in early summer and has reliable golden autumn colour. It is very hardy (Z3), tolerant of a wide range of soils and will grow in sun or partial shade. Ours are cutting raised (not seed), so batches will be uniform.