Lenten Roses steal a march

The Christian observance of Lent, associated with piousness and self-denial, doesn't begin for another ten days, but nobody seems to have mentioned that to the hellebores – or 'Lenten Roses' – already at their gorgeous peak, some in demurely dusky shades of deepest wine red, others in far more flamboyant dress, ranging from apricot, through primrose yellow, to vivid green and pure white, many embelished with delicate veining or bold spotting. Hold one of the nodding flowers in your hand and turn it upwards to marvel at the intricate structure of the petal-like outer tepals enclosing dozens of bright yellow stamens, clustered around a protruding tuft of styles and emerging from a basal ring of nectaries, whose sweet secretions are so attractive to the first bumble-bees of spring. Lasting for weeks, hellebores are among the seasonal stalwarts of this garden and the moment they are over I begin looking forward to their next flowering – mid-way between the first snowdrops and the first wild daffodils.