January is a great time to remove all your old leaves from many of the Helleborus (Christmas rose). Last years evergreen leaves start to look tatty.

Cut of the leaves right to the centre of the stem and you’ll be rewarded to not only find the buds but as they bloom the full flowers will be completely visible (not hidden under the leaves) and in a few weeks’ time, as the flowers fade the new leaves will replace them.

Winter Blues

Got the winter blues, how about planting a Helleborus to brighten your January days.  These winter pollinators flower from late winter through into early spring.  They not only provide a food resource when there is very little around, they provide an array of white, cream, pink, purple and yellow flowers.  Most varieties are evergreen which means you’ve got structural winter foliage too.