Hellebores or Lenten Rose sometimes called Christmas Rose, begin blooming in mid-winter as early as February, bringing much needed color to shady parts of the winter garden. These “blooms” (really sepals that protect the true flowers), are visible when the temperature is below freezing, even amidst the snow. Hybrid hellebores get their common name, Lenten rose, from the rose-like flowers that appear in early spring around the Christian observance of Lent. These plants are mostly deer and rabbit resistant, and last for several months, from February until May. The foliage is evergreen in all but the coldest regions.
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