First there was a wide pool of water with the floating heads of Hellebores, upturned to enjoy the sunshine. Garden gathered Anna’s Red, White Tutu and the original, purple Tutu, Winter Moonbeam, a few hybrids… then came the big freeze – and it seems, though this was March 2018, a cold snap is on it’s way now.
These were some of the most popular images from the blog – and on Instagram and Twitter at the time but worth revisiting. It’s a little early for this cornucopia of hellebores, though the pure white Christmas Rose, Hellebore niger will be featuring in nurseries and garden centres soon enough – and some of the Hellebore nigercor hybrids – the Hellebore Gold Series varieties for example (lots of information somewhere in these pages) that come early into flower and remain for months while the Easter Roses – the Ashwood and Harvington Hybrids for example, get into their stride.
But there’s a cold snap coming and it seemed appropriate enough to re-blog this piece (again) – sunshine and ice – to celebrate the season ahead. In the bleak midwinter maybe, but there are gems to be found. Some renowned winter gardens to visit in the coming months – The Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Hampshire, Anglesey Abbey – again some links in these pages – just search for winter gardens or gardening. Snowdrops soon, hurrah to those as well.
I’ve recently moved from Teddington, where I spent 22 years in all, many of them gardening and working for some 8 years at Petersham Nurseries. I’m living in Poole, Dorset, for a few months before (I’m hoping) the house I’m buying will pass all the hurdles of the conveyancing process. It has a small, though delightful, due south-facing garden, with high brick walls to trap the heat and sun – and I can cultivate all those delights I was never able to in my north-east facing patch that I tended for so many years. Roses, hallelujah! Something to look forward to.
New content should follow although I have to refresh my memory as to how this all works and there is a ceiling now on the number of pictures I can include – I think I am already way past the storage allowed so there might need to be some pruning of earlier postings. Something to while away the dark winter days.
Greetings for the seasons ahead.
The Teddington Gardener 
What a relief to see your column return… and I particularly recall these splendid photos of hellebores you shared some time back, Thank you! And best wishes for your coming south-facing garden.
So happy to see your back! A very bright spot of my day! I am looking forward to your rose journey and pictures!