No one who has visited my garden would be surprised to see that I’ve added Helleborus x ballardiae ‘Cinnamon Snow”. Why?  Because it captures almost all of my favorite garden colors and qualities in one plant.  I’m big on perennials, as well as the dark reds and greens. As you can see from the picture, I probably should not have photographed it in front of my Arbutus unedo because the reds and greens are so close.

Cinnamon Snow is one of those new hybrid perennial hellebores (like Helleborus niger ‘Josef Lemper’) that has flowers that face up and out instead of hanging down like little bells.  Apparently this effect has been achieved through cloning the tissue of those hellebores that show the upward and outward facing flowers, and have a long flowering period. ‘Josef Lemper’ blooms from October through February. Cinnamon Snow flowers from December until February.

Like other hellebores, Cinnamon snow prefers full to part shade, and moist but well draining soil. Its pinkish buds will open to show fresh cream colored blooms that will fade to pale greens and mauves. The arching cinnamon colored stems and dark green glossy foliage are a luscious addition to any garden.

If you’re adding a hellebore to your garden this year, or any other plant, shrub or tree for that matter, be sure to water it for the first year so that it will establish a good root system. A special reminder for hellebore care: cut down old foliage in the spring to avoid botrytis blight – botrytis can hurt many other plants in your garden as well as your hellebores.