Hellebore

Day 150: Hellebore really might be considered part of the "winter" garden since it begins to bloom around Christmastime, but its common name of "Lenten Rose" implies that it is at its best near Easter. This year, mine is living up to its moniker, in full flower now with at least fifty nodding heads. My camera doesn't like to portray it in true colour which is more of a dusty, rosy dark lavender, "black" to the nursery trade. The individual flowers are 3-4 inches in width, and quite a display en masse.