Spring on Nantucket can be a real “touch and go” kind of season. In early April, most gardens are still bare, with few plants in flower, or even budding. There can be beautiful days with light breezes and temps in the 50’s as well as cold, nasty days when the wind feels like it could rip your face off. On nice April afternoons, many gardeners in northern states on the mainland are enjoying violas, pansies, bellis and a wide variety of spring bulbs … but not us! When it’s nice enough to go outside and we are able to check on our spring flowers we notice that the rabbits have eaten the tulips and the deer have mowed off any perennials that dare to push up new growth. What’s a gardener in need of a spring pick-me-up to do?
Number ONE – Grab some potted daffodils and get those in the ground right away. The critters won’t bother them and they’ll come back forever.
Number TWO – Come on over to Surfing Hydrangea and pick up some Lenten Roses!
Lenten Roses, aka Hellebores, Helleborus orientalis and their hybrids, are fantastic plants for those of us with sheltered gardens and some shade. Hellebores are reliable perennials with nearly no pest issues whatsoever. They have thick, semi-evergreen, leathery, palm-shaped leaves that form an attractive rosette. Planted in evenly moist (but well-drained), fertile soil, these elegant plants will reward you with blooms from Early April, through May. The flowers come in several forms, from single, to fully double – some facing up towards us, and some with nodding flowers. They range in color from green to off-white to deep burgundy/black and every hue in between. Unbelievably, the deer and rabbits haven’t taken a liking to them yet.
Depending on the winter and how much exposure the plants get, the foliage may get brown over the winter. If that is the case, feel free to trim off the least attractive leaves as the flowers and fresh foliage emerge in early spring. Besides that, they really don’t require any other care. Plant and enjoy!