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Thursday 20 November 2008

Hellebore and Hellcats

The above picture is my Hellebore Orientalis this month (November) .. it has been the most amazing plant in my garden for foliage alone if not the beautiful flowers. No matter how much I neglect the raised bed which needs a bit of TLC .. no matter how dry it got .. this miracle plant stayed fresh and green looking in the face of my utter oblivious observations of the bed screaming "For god sake water us woman !!"
Then there are these amazing flowers in early Spring , these pictures are from April 2008. This is supposed to be an ordinary, standard cultivar, but I find the flowers stunning and there is nothing ordinary about this plant .. it stays fresh and green all season in my garden and that is mind boggling in my books and garden zone with cold .. heat and humidity and a too easy going gardener with the water wand ?

It even flowers intermittently during the summer with a few beautiful faces .. even though they are turned downward that colour is gorgeous !
I want to get more of these wonderful plants .. I think there are cultivars that have been bred for the flowers to turn upwards .. I have to have one !!!!
Now for the "hell -cats" ... OK .. I know .. enough of those damn cats woman .. can you tell I am in garden denial ? that I can't actually work up the steam to find some interesting garden pictures ? .. that I use my cats shamelessly ???

You have to admit .. they are a cute couple of girlie cats when they are doing the WWF thing .. it is funny to see though .. underneath the wrestling they love each other to bits : )

16 comments:

Brenda Pruitt said...

I love pet stories, so keep them coming. They are part of the family, part of the garden, and part of the story.
Brenda

Anonymous said...

I love Hellebores, yours looks wonderfully healthy. I always think they should be grown up high - then you could stand under them and look up into those lovely flowers.
K
PS cats are cute too :)

Nola said...

I love cat photos; hubby is always telling me to quit taking photos of the kitties...hard to do, cats are just naturally so photogenic! Don't they just love boxes? I can't throw one away until the kitties are finished with it.

Anonymous said...

Your hellebore does look gorgeous, Joy! As for those bad girls, well, I can't help but notice who's got the bed and who's been relegated to the floor. There has to be some bennefit to seniority!

RURAL said...

The hellebors are lovely, and the kitties are stunning. They have such cute expressions on their faces.

Amy said...

The hellebore is just gorgeous - I'm experiencing some serious plant envy after seeing your photos! Don't apologize about your cat photos - they're so sweet and pretty, even when they're fighting :)

Rose said...

Joy, Your title enticed me...I thought the cats had torn up your hellebores:) Last spring I saw these hellebores on several posts and kept saying to myself, "I must plant some of those." But did I? No, and now I'm kicking myself. Next year for sure! Yours are beautiful--and yes, Sophie and Emma are, too.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi Rose .. I am naughty with the post titles aren't I ? LOL
You have to have a Hellebore Rose .. no more excuses .. next year for sure !! .. they aren't that pricey unless you see one of the new cultivars with up turned flowers .. I don't know if they are much more expensive .. I would like to find one for me too !
The girls appreciate your compliment too : )

Amy .. Thanks girl ! ... you don't have a Hellebore ? You also have to find one next year (I'm making a list to remind you guys !!) LOL .. Plant envy is something I go through too .. when I see some new breeds I get GREEN ! haha

Hi Jen .. you must have Hellebores then .. aren't they so forgiving ? .. you gotta' love that aspect of them .. girls say "thank you !"

'ben" .. you should have seen Emma take the extra blankets off the bed before Sophie got it .. they can have some darn funny wrestling matches that end up with "I am going to wash your face for you " sessions too .. you know cats ! haha

Nola .. that is me all over , I just can't help myself taking pictures of them .. and a HUGE YES ! to the box thing ..they love a new box to play in, and it can't be taken away until they are through with it for sure ! : )

Karen .. you are RIGHT ! maybe they can invent a Hellebore tree for us some year .. wouldn't that be perfect ? : )

Hi Brenda .. you are too right .. I can't seem to stop myself .. unless it is in high garden gear and I'm exhausted .. even then I manage a "tail" or two with pictures : )

Gail said...

Hellebores are amazing (so are your girlcats)...they just get better! Reproduce a nice amount from seed and can be divided to make even more!

Take care...have a great weekend and keep warm! gail

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi Gail .. I am amazed at how good this little beauty looked all year dispite lack of water or heat .. then the cold of winter .. it just looked fake it was so good : )
Yup .. time to site by the fireplace in my jammies ! LOL
Take Care and stay warm too !

Katarina said...

I can't get enough of Hellebores, and what a great performer your cultivar seems to be! Oh, and your cats are so cute...
Katarina

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi Katarina .. they are wonderful plants even for a novice gardener aren't they ! .. I'm going to look for more next year for sure : )
Sophie and Emma say thank you very much !

Anonymous said...

Wonderful Hellebores and great wrestlemania shots of the girls in action. All in all a tough, but lovely, display of Canadian flora and fauna, eh? ~ Deb

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Deb .. I do my best to promote the Canadian way of life EH ! haha
I think I will be talking more garden potential in design and plants after Xmas .. the "stir crazy garden withdrawal" will really hit hard then ? haha

Giddy said...

The girls are soooo cute. The boys from Maine send their very best regards! I love the wrestling matches and the romper room activities. Don't they keep a smile on our faces?

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hi Giddy .. Yes they do ! .. even though they love each other they can really have some great matches .. haha. They send lots of purrs to your boys (who I have seen help you out in the kitchen ? LOL).