For early colour, plant Hellebores
MORE than any other month of the year, in January we’re waiting for colour, eager to glimpse bright flowers or foliage that will bring a foretaste of spring. What we need are hellebores. Snowdrops are fêted for their early arrival, but many hellebores are also in flower in January, and with the right varieties you can have a display until April.
The appeal of hellebores is huge – they bring winter interest from colourful flowers and evergreen or sometimes marbled foliage; they’re good for early pollinators and for different-sized spaces, whether you have a container or a generous border. They’re also great mixers: a hellebore makes an excellent partner for spring bulbs, winter stems, early-flowering evergreen shrubs such as viburnums, and many others. You can use them in a groups
