Wednesday, February 14, 2007

What is it about black flowers?

Why is it that I love black flowers so much? To be honest it is very difficult to make them fit into the garden design - they really need to be surrounded by lots of light coloured foliage - lime greens or silvers - which make them stand out. I have to look at them with blinkers on - marvelling at them like a planstman and not worrying about things on either side.

Yet every year I seem to acquire more and more black flowers - this stunning hellebore came from Floreat Plants, now sadly defunct. Sue sold me a lot of her stock plants when she was closing and this is the first year that it has flowered. It is gorgeous - especially with the sun shining through the petals - but I haven't found the right place for it yet.

At the moment it is in one of the long herbaceous borders and is really the only thing flowering there - visually it would look good against the silver of an artemesia but that wouldn't work in terms of habitat. I think that I need to find something leafy and lime green that likes shade and is full, fluffy and pristine in February/March.

Or perhaps I should move it in the autumn and make a woodland area with snowdrops and pulmonaria - but even those don't have a lightness which will lift the colour.

Or I could - as I tend to with all the black flowers - cut it and bring it into the house.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful Hellebore - I had not realised what a serious addiction I had until I saw this photo and immediately worked out how quickly I could acquire one! Thank you for the fabulous photo.
Alice

Vintage to Victorian said...

I, too, love hellebores and have had a good selection over the years including a near-black one in one of my gardens. I think I planted it by euonymus fortunei 'Silver Queen'. Not a fluffy plant, but certainly bright.

I'm envious, having moved to a garden that still needs a lot of plant input to make it 'home'.

Nonnie said...

I love black or chocolate flowers too, and hellebores are one of my favourites. I'm longing for a garden of my own to fill.

Heather said...

Jane - beautiful hellebore (I'm fan of them anyway) but this is quite a gorgeous velvet shade - lovely

I know I say it often - but you GREAT photos!

Anonymous said...

That hellobore really is gorgeous.

Joanna said...

I just brought my sweet pie seeds yesterday, now that we are moved in. I was really pleased to see we had some hellebores in the garden but not as interesting as this one. I will have to add some more but will check that they are ok with rabbits first.

Jane said...

We grew hellebores in our last garden which was overrun with rabbits. They didn't seem to find them that tasty.
J

weirdbunny said...

I planted some balck/deep purple tulips last year, divine.

Barbara said...

Just came over to visit your blog direct from my daughter's blog - Janie. Will continue to visit you and see how the plants are doing in Scotland. I will be posting lots of garden stuff on m y blog as time goes on. I am new to this and finding my way at the moment.
Barbara