Lenten Rose Almanac for April 2011

This month we look at the changing color of the Lenten Rose flower as it progresses through its cycle. Then a quick look at the emerging ground cover foliage, as the plant prepares for the coming of summer.

LentenRose.com is located in NE Georgia. It is the end of March 2011 and the display cycle, we'll call it, of the Lenten Rose flower in NE Georgia is almost finished. I point out, here in Georgia because this past year I have corresponded with many of my customers from the likes of Michigan, Ohio, Massesschutes, New York, Washington, all states where the Lenten Rose grows very well; and especially this year coming off of a very long and snowy winter, their perennial cycles are two to three weeks behind our cycle here. Well, it's only relevant to me because I am chronicling the perennial cycle of the Lenten Rose in a video post every month.

Note to self. Mention that.

Here is a picture I took on March 15th. This bouquet is about 40 stems.

Happy Gardening

The Lenten Rose Almanac March 2011

This month is all about the flower. LentenRose.com is in full bloom. The lenten rose makes a great cut flower and is prized by floral designers but it's important to know when to cut and when not to cut. I hope this video helps in that regard.

The Lenten Rose Almanac February 2011

Early bloomers and Seedlings are the topics covered in this months video. The seeds I planted back in May are just breaking ground. We'll take a look at that. Also we look at some early bloomers in the garden.

The Lenten Rose Almanac January 2011

The phrase that comes to mind when I describe the Lenten Rose in January is this: The darkest hour is just before dawn.

Most of my plants go unattended throughout the year. In other words, most of them don't get cut back in late September, early October and because of that the decomposing old growth from last year is now painfully obvious.

To manicure mature Lenten Rose, you can cut them to the ground in early fall.....around late September, early October. If you do this, you won't have all of this decomposing foliage which is part of the natural cycle of the plant but is not very pretty to look at in a manicured flower garden.

If you have mature plants, right about now, look down into the center. Those are the flower buds. So, here they come. The flower stalks of the beautiful hellebore Orientalis, commonly know as the Lenten Rose

January is also the month when seeds that dropped from the flowers, last May, will be breaking ground as seedlings. I haven't seen them yet in my garden, it's a little early, but they're coming soon.

To summarize, the Lenten Rose in January is starting to send up young flower buds, last years foliage is continuing to lay over and decompose and seedlings are pushing up through the soil.

OK, let's leave it there. Next month we will see these baby flower buds become strapping young flower stalks.