While handfuls of the garden’s hellebores flowered quickly after the snow melted in early February, most were weeks later. In this second week of March, peak bloom is near. While I would have enjoyed more flowers in late winter, this is among the many delights that I have no control over.

Over the few decades since hellebores became widely available, I’ve purchased several dozens. Early purchases were single flowered seedlings with slight variations of purple, pale green, and white flowers. More recent introductions bring more colors, speckles, and double flowers, and many are sterile. With the prolific seeding of simple hybrids, the dozens became today’s hundreds in tbe garden. Simple and fancy blooms are enjoyed equally, but I’m often most enthused by mottled color variations of new seedlings.

I don’t find the abundant seedlings to be a nuisance, and certainly dispute the notion that they are invasive. None are jumping the fence to neighboring properties.

If an area of seedlings becomes too crowded, they’re weeded out with a few vigorous plants transplanted or potted for giveaways. Today, I can identify small numbers of hellebores that were purchases, but for most, I don’t know and don’t care.