One of the most interesting and popular plants for Winter colour is Heleborus orientalis or Lenton Rose. In recent years both in New Zealand and overseas plant breeding programmes have created new and named cultures of beautiful plants.
Flowering in later in winter they send upright stems up through the old leaves. The slightly nodding flowers open to show beautiful markings and interesting stamen patterns are rapidly gaining in popularity among discerning gardeners for their handsome, mostly evergreen foliage.
The softly colored bells are green, white or various shades of dark red to plum. Some have spots inside the bells and others are rimmed in maroon. All are borne above leathery foliage on plants 60cm high. Cut back any leaves damaged by winter weather to further expose the flowers.
