Helleborus Heavenly 2L

Helleborus ‘Heavenly’ is a vigorous, free-flowering Christmas rose, and it lives up to its name through the darkest months of the year. Through winter it produces masses of pure white, bowl-shaped flowers, each lit up by a central boss of golden stamens. The blooms sit on sturdy stems above lush, dark green foliage, and they look fresh and bright on frosty mornings when the rest of the garden is bare. As they age, the flowers may take on a soft pink flush. Christmas roses are listed as RHS Plants for Pollinators, because the early flowers give bees a valuable source of food on mild winter days.

‘Heavenly’ forms a neat, clump-forming evergreen plant of leathery, deep green leaves, usually around 30cm high. It suits the front of a shady border, a woodland planting, or a spot beside a path or doorway where you’ll pass it every day. It’s also excellent in winter containers and window boxes, and a few flowers floated in a shallow bowl make a simple, elegant indoor display.

Plant in partial shade, in rich, moist but well-drained soil, ideally neutral to alkaline. Christmas roses prefer heavier ground that doesn’t dry out, so water well while the plant establishes and mulch each autumn. Remove old or tired leaves in winter to show off the flowers and help prevent leaf spot. Once settled, it is best left undisturbed. ‘Heavenly’ is fully hardy and deer usually leave it alone. Like all hellebores, every part of the plant is harmful if eaten and the sap can irritate skin, so wear gloves when handling it and plant it out of reach of inquisitive pets and children.

Supplied in a 2 litre pot.

Each plant is hand-selected before dispatch.

Available from Pengelly Garden Centre.