Southampton - If daffodils aren't your thing for spring in the garden, here's another bunch of plants to tickle your fancy: hellebores. These relatives of buttercups are among the earliest perennials to bloom, their flowers last a long time, and best of all, deer don't like them.

Hellebores produce their five-petaled flowers in early spring here (they bloom in winter farther south). The plants have been grown in gardens for centuries in Europe, and more recently they've been discovered by savvy gardeners on this side of the Atlantic. In 2005 the Perennial Plant Association named Helleborus x hybridus (the Latin botanical name of the most widely grown type) its plant of the year.

There are numerous species of hellebores, but many of the ones we grow now are hybrids descended from a species called the Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis). That plant's lovely but diffident flowers are creamy white, sometimes greenish, turn pinkish as they age, and bend over on their thick stems to turn their faces to the ground.

Lenten rose (Helleborus orientalis) in bloom.

Plant breeders have developed varieties with flowers in shades of dusty rose, maroon, purple, plum, chartreuse, cream, soft yellow, apricot and even dramatic purple-black. There are forms with many petals, some ruffled or pointed, some spotted with deep red or edged in a contrasting color. The prominent centers may be white or yellow. The flowers of some varieties face outward or even upward. The plants bloom for weeks - even as long as two months. (For a perennial, that's a long time - most perennials bloom for three to six weeks).

When the plants aren't in bloom, their handsome foliage adds texture to the garden. The leathery leaves are usually divided into separate leaflets arranged like the ribs of an umbrella, and some are veined in silver-gray. They may stay on the plants through the winter, until new leaves grow to replace them.

Brandywine Strain Hellebore in full bloom.

Hellebores are generally considered easy to grow. Give them a location in light to dappled shade - they like some sun, but not full, blazing rays all day long. They love a humusy, fertile soil, but they'll adapt themselves to a range of soil types. Just don't plant them in very dry, sandy, highly acidic soil or in a waterlogged spot. Although they're considered shade plants, they won't thrive in the deep shade cast by evergreens or buildings (like your house).

For best results, dig some compost into the soil before you plant your hellebores. Water to keep the soil evenly moist - not soggy! - for the first several weeks, until the plants establish new roots. When they settle in, they'll be able to tolerate dry weather (though not prolonged droughts).

One note of caution: hellebores contain alkaloids that can be poisonous if eaten in large quantities. If you've got small children or curious pets, think twice before planting some in your garden. The alkaloids can cause skin irritation, too, so slip on a pair of gloves when you handle the plants.

Other than that, hellebores are largely care free. The older leaves will turn brown as part of the natural cycle, so don't panic when you see that happen. However, if the leaves of an otherwise healthy and actively growing plant turn black, it may signal the onset of black spot disease, which is not common but can be fatal to the plant. Allow for good air circulation among plants and don't crowd them together, and disease is unlikely to trouble them.

Ivory Prince Hellebore.

To get the most from your hellebores, plant them in a bright woodland garden where they can naturalize and form clumps, or grow them on a slope so you can gaze up at the lovely flowers from below. Good companions in the garden include snowdrops, wood anemone and epimedium.

Some Varieties To Grow
There are lots of hellebore varieties on the market. Here are just a few to look for:

 • Brandywine Strain - a mixture containing the full range of colors, plus spotted and picoteed (edged), single and double petals.
 • Ivory Prince - creamy white flowers tinged with pink; bluish green leaves.
 • Royal Heritage - flowers in shades of pink, purple, burgundy, and white.
 • Sunshine Selections - flowers in creamy white, pink, red, yellow, purple, green, and purple-black.
Where To Get Them
Many local nurseries and garden centers carry hellebores. Local sources include The Laurel Group in Bridgehampton at 631-537-5290; Lynch's Garden Center in Southampton, Marders in Bridgehampton, The Bayberry in Amagansett, and Fort Pond Native Plants in Montauk.

You can also find hellebores on-line, from mail-order nurseries such as Plant Delights Nursery (plantdelights.com), Sunshine Farm and Gardens (sunfarm.com) and White Flower Farm (whiteflowerfarm.com).

Happy growing!