They are not really too fussy about soil pH as long as it is not too acid or alkaline. What they do love is well drained soil. The other urban myth is that they are sun hating and only flourish in deep shade. Sure they are not very keen on full summer sun all day but will take quite a lot of it although they also do well in fairly shady conditions. In short, they are tolerant plants that once established need little attention. I've always found them difficult to germinate seed though - I'm still working on it.

They grow wild in abundance in this part of the world, and don't seem too worried about light/shade, as long as it isn't scorching sun all day. We have a fairly alkaline clay soil. I've never tried to germinate them, Sarraceniac, we just go and dig them out of the hedgerow and transplant them when we need them.

mine are in a chalky soil in varying degrees of shade. they are not at all fussy plants and self seed quite freely.

Sarraceniac, the seeds need to be sown fresh and kept moist and rodent free, then they germinate very easily.

Thanks Boggy. I really must stop buying this particular seed on eBay. I was hoping to get some new colours (my self-seeding ones are germinating quite happily) so it looks like some manual hybridisation to get my own.

what colours are you after Sarraceniac? I have many dusky pink ones [welcoe to young plants] and I am hoping for seedlings from my yellow 'ashwood seedling' this year as I notice seed pods at last.

I have seen a great red one that I think I will have to get a plant for 'cos growing my own would take till my grand-kids generation. I really want a nice genuine pink (mine is 'lilacy' if you know what I mean) PMd you SG and a real steel blue one, again, mine is described as blue but is more mauve. Our friend, who now does most of the manual gardening for us, is hellebore crazy and I'm sure she would love to see a striped one of any colours, or one with polka dots, lol.