From the Greek helein, to kill, bora, food; some species are poisonous (Ranunculaceae). Hellebore. Hardy perennials, often retaining their leaves through the winter, with thick fibrous roots. All flower early in the year and the flowers are long lasting. Most of them have handsome, leathery, divided leaves, sometimes spiny. They are natives of southern Europe and western Asia. Species cultivated […]
THE STINKING HELLEBORE – Gardening
My mother, a woman for whom good taste meant a great deal, would not have approved of Sarah, our gray half-grown kitten. Sarah, for whom happiness and flatulence seem inextricably linked, is not always fit for polite company. Fortunately she loves to go out into the garden. Mother would also have looked askance at another denizen of my beds, the […]
ON THE WILD SIDE
At least once a week I meet someone who says, “I want wildflowers in my garden.” This desire for wildflowers is especially pronounced in the suburbs, where even the skunks are semi-domesticated. Wildflowers are admirable in home gardens, but before you go out to the garden center and demand them, make sure you know what they are. Some people who […]