In the garden with Nell Carr

Helleborus foetidas

JULY 2017 | Nell Carr

COLOURS OF most winter flowering plants tend to be muted. One exception is the Pineapple Sage, Salvia splendens. This is noticeable because of its bright red flowers, just now proving an attraction for the tiny Eastern Spinebill, and its delicious smell of pineapple.

It does tend to be invasive, so should be planted in a bed surrounded by pathway or lawn. The cold loving Hellebores began to flower in June; first the unusual green flowered Stinking Hellebore H.foetidas, followed by H.orientalis in varying shades.

H. ‘Mrs Betty Ranicar’ is the beautiful pure white double developed by John Dudley formerly of Elizabeth Town Hellebores, and named for the renowned gardener of that name whose beautiful garden at Red Hills was a Mecca for plant lovers. John developed many beautiful cultivars in shades of pink and red from the original.

Pictured here is Helleborus foetidas which can be found in the garden at the Great Western Tiers Visitor Centre, along with many other plants of the species.

Dry Winter: Rainfall for the month of June was, by the final week, a mere 8.6mm, which is in stark contrast to the total of 222mm for the same month in 2016.

This lack of rainfall presents a good opportunity to lift and divide perennials that have grown clumpy and weak, and to work over and weed the vegetable beds.

A sprinkling of lime may be added except in those beds where acid lovers such as tomatoes and potatoes are to be planted.

Photo | image supplied