Hellebore

Helleborus x hybridus

Hellebore is a perennial for edging, mid-border, suited to shade and partial shade and clay, loam, chalk or acid soil, flowering Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr.

Where to use it in a border

At around 45 cm, it sits best along the front edge, where a low, spreading habit reads best. Give it about 45 cm of room to spread, roughly 2 to the metre when planted in a drift. It is hardy across USDA zones 4a to 9a and rated H6 by the RHS, so check it suits your area before planting.

It appears in our lists of shade, clay soil, chalk soil, acid soil, evergreen plants, pollinator-friendly plants.

Border Builder uses Hellebore's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.

Flowering through the year

Worth knowing

• Evergreen, so it keeps the border furnished through winter.
• It tolerates a shaded, north-facing spot.
• Not recorded as pet-safe; site it away from pets that graze if that matters to you.
• Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.

Good companions

Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:

• Azaleafor height behind it
• Barrenwort 'Orange Queen'to edge in front
• Bigleaf Hydrangea 'Endless Summer'for height behind it
• Bleeding Heartfor height behind it
• Bleeding Heart 'Luxuriant'to edge in front
• Brunnera 'Jack Frost'to edge in front

Garden styles

Cottage garden Shade cottage Woodland