Hellebore

When we moved I had great expectations for some of my plants and reservations about others... It was ironic that the ones I thought would not be happy with the move had their best season in years and the ones that I had expected would do well went into a slump! This will be our fifth spring here in the woods!! Change hasn't come as fast as I'd hoped but I'm optimistic ...
That is a beautiful plant, how I wish I could grow them but they don't like our spring weather. Closest thing we can grow is the pasque flower...and I had no luck with that in the town garden. My Chicago Fig has made it (knock on wood) and has new growth starting. I'm excited about it because it's one plant I want to keep in my sunroom... whenever I finish that! LOL....

This wasnt actually a plant I brought over, as in I didnt bring any! I made the decision to start from fresh here as I didnt think they would survive the climate change too well. The hellebore was the only plant from the back garden when we moved in here I wanted to keep. There is a peony I would like to keep but it will have to be moved and they are notoriously difficult with that, so I dont give much for its survival chances. I want this to be a cottagey garden and intend to use mostly seeds. Mind we have some super nurseries nearby so I think that's probably not entirely feasible!

It's very satisfying to use your green thumb and start your flowers from seed. My only suggestion for the peony would be to take as large a soil ball with it as you can manage. I brought a very healthy Maxima from my town garden and it did well the first year but successive seasons have seen it slowly diminish. It is in a very exposed spot and I've tried to cover it over winter which it doesn't seem to like. go easy on fertilizer too as they do not perform well when showered with attention. My aunt had a gorgeous wine red peony that was ancient...went back a few generations in the family...In fact, I think it is still blooming in the same spot it's been for 60-70 years. (Planning on making a trip "home" this spring and will confirm this for you.) ...It's just my personal opinion but I find they're very long lived and quite happy if given only basic care. I like them and hollyhocks too for the same reason.

I have little experience growing from seed as that was just too difficult in my french garden with its concrete soil. People thought you were really loopy if you tried. Everybody bought their plugs from the markets. I had some very healthy peonies there which thrived on little care but in a fairly sheltered position. That garden was even more exposed than my present one so here's hoping. But 60/70 years is an enormous age fora peony, how big was it when you last saw it?
Planted my broad beans today and sweet peas, a bit late.
Very springlike today, eclipse bit disappointing, just looked like it was going to rain, total cloudcover at the critical moment unfortunately but the birds kept on singing and flying, none of that earyness we experienced in 1999.

Sorry it took so long to see this again... I lose things so easily it seems. Sad to say I went looking for the peonies I remembered but the house has new people in it and the peonies are gone! The last I remember seeing them was 10 years ago...give or take... and the clump was quite large and had been decimated by a heavy downpour. Probably planted by my grandmother. That wine red colour stuck in my memory. Wish I could find it again. At the time of your last comment we still had snow on the ground...seems so strange how fast things move when the warm weather gets here. how are your beans and sweet peas doing?... my sweet peas are only up about 4 inches... this has been such a strange spring. in a word... COLD.

Dont worry lori, I loose things all the time, so many posts I mean to reply to..?
Some of my sweet peas are shooting up but some are very reluctant, broad beans growing a treat. I will post some pics today. If I remember!