Plant some hellebores

Hellebores are beautiful winterflowering plants, and if you start them now, they’ll give you wonderful flowers from January to March, when the garden needs it most – just make sure you can see them easily!

The best way to appreciate hellebores is to plant them in a pot with good-quality compost, placed in a shady spot close to the house. Out in the garden, choose a spot in dappled shade that’s sheltered from strong winds, then dig over the soil fairly deeply and mix in plenty of well- rotted manure or compost. Dig your planting holes to accommodate the hellebores at the same level as they were in the pot, water them in and keep watering in dry periods.