What's not to like about a plant that's deer proof, is evergreen, grows under oaks and pines, and blooms earlier than just about anything else? Think hellebores!
Mine have been blooming since early January, even through the snow and ice. As you can see from the photos below, they can be completely buried and will emerge unscathed and standing tall.
Hellebores are natives of open meadows in Bosnia, Turkey, Greece, Italy, and China. They were originally used as medicinal plants, especially for the treatment of gout. They are poisonous in large doses, however, and some historians believe that Alexander the Great may have died from an overdose of hellebore extract. Having been introduced by the Romans, hellebores are one of England's oldest cultivated plants. Still need inspiration? Check out the mixed plantings of hellebores and snowdrops on this YouTube video of flowers at Pembury House in England: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6A1Ue_32pg, or this clip of the different types and colors of hellebore flowers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iSKVyxNzoA. Both are inspiring!
Hellebores are tough and withstand considerable benign neglect. When setting out new plants that have been grown in containers, it's important to remove the potting mix and loosen the roots. This will encourage better root development. Hellebores are drought tolerant once they become well established. They do, however, prefer well-drained soil. A sprinkling of Osmacote is not amiss now and then either.
In early spring, grooming the plants by cutting off last year's tattered leaves will allow the blooms to take center stage, often for as long as several months. As an extra bonus, the new double varieties make wonderful cut flowers. So...what's not to like about hellebores?
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