Helleborus

Plants of long-lasting beauty, having handsome evergreen foliage, many making bold ground cover and bearing flowers of sculptured form. Easily grown when drainage is good and humus is abundant. Old foliage is best cut down late in the year, to reduce the chance of fungal diseases, particularly the H. x hybridus forms. Most prefer a dappled shade spot, especially in summer, but H. argutifolius (Corsican hellebore) is happy in a sunny location.

An essential component of a spring garden for early-emerging queen bumblebees, helleborus produce an abundance of both nectar (from the nectaries that are actually modified petals - the 'petals' are sepals!) and pollen, in all but the highly bred doubled varieties that promise everything but deliver nothing to our insect friends.