Helleborus Frostkiss Pippa's Purple 2L

Helleborus Frostkiss 'Pippa's Purple'

Few plants earn their keep in the depths of winter quite like this one. Flowering from as early as February through to April, Pippa's Purple produces large, outward-facing blooms in a smoky purple-pink, generously speckled with deep burgundy, held on sturdy dark stems well above the foliage. Part of the Frostkiss series, its leathery, deep green leaves are attractively marbled with silver, giving the plant real presence even when out of flower.

A semi-evergreen, clump-forming perennial reaching a compact 45-60cm in height and spread, it's naturally suited to shady borders, woodland planting, and containers alike, and copes with a bit more sun than most hellebores if the soil stays reliably moist. Plant in humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil in partial shade, mulching with well-rotted organic matter each autumn and shielding from cold winds. Low-maintenance once established, it's rarely troubled by pests and left well alone by deer.