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Links and Resources
With the growth in the popularity of hellebores, the amount of information on the Web has grown
tremendously. Much of the information is useful, but as with all topics on the Web, plenty of it is
inaccurate as well. Here I've provided some links and resources that I believe to be for the most part
accurate, useful, and of quality.
I will add to this page as necessary. There are of course many breeders and experts in the world that
may not have business or personal websites. Gisella Schmiemann, Elizabeth Strangman, Elfi Rahr,
and Ian Collier are just a few that immediately come to mind. Fortunately, their plants are available at
least indirectly from several sources. There are also many good sites that are not listed here, many in
non-English formats. If you know of any sites that are particularly useful, please let me know:
admin@hellebores.org
Breeders/Growers
USA
Northwest Garden Nursery: Ernie and Marietta O'Byrne are regarded by many as producing some of
the best hybrids in North America. Their nursery is located in Eugene, Oregon. Their plants may be
purchased on site at their nursery or via mail order through Terra Nova.
www.northwestgardennursery.com
Pine Knot Farms: Dick and Judith Tyler grow many hellebores, including Ashwood plants. Judith is co-
author of a very good hellebore book published by Timber Press, Hellebores: A Comprehensive
Guide. Their nursery is located in Clarksville, Virginia.
www.pineknotfarms.com
Plant Delights: Tony Avent and company sponsor hellebore days each spring and have a large offering
of hellebores in their popular annual catalog. Tony has also created an informative web page devoted
to hellebores.
http://www.helleborehelleborehellebore.com
Sunshine Farms: Barry Glick has a very large collection of hellebores (6 acres worth) in his West
Virginia farm and garden. He is the producer of the commercial 'Sunshine Series' of Helleborus x
hybridus.
www.sunfarm.com
Canada
Pacific Rim Native Plant Nursery: A very interesting nursery that offers quite a few hellebore plants,
including many species.
http://www.hillkeep.ca/per%20helleborus.htm
Phoenix Perennials: Phoenix Perennials sponsors a Hellebore Hurrah (usually in February) and offers
a wide range of hellebore plants at its location in Richmond, BC.
http://www.phoenixperennials.com
Fraser's Thimble Farms: Fraser's sponsors hellebore days ('Helleboreganza') and has a hellebore
gallery on their website.
http://www.thimblefarms.com
Europe
Ashwood Nurseries: Regarded by many as the producer of some of the finest hybrids in the world,
Ashwood hybrids have become some of the most famous and sought after in recent years. They
produce a wide range of colors and forms.
www.ashwood-nurseries.co.uk
Chris and Rita Vermeire-Engels: Chris Vermeire has produced some wonderful hybrids in Belgium,
many involving species such as Helleborus torquatus. (Link currently unavailable as of March 2010)
Christine Becker: Christine is a hellebore enthusiast and grower and has created an informative site
with plenty of photos. Information is in German. She has also written a monograph on Helleborus,
which can be purchased online (see the second link).
http://www.helleborus-hellebores.com
http://helleborus-hellebores.com/Export3.html
Evolution Plants: Tom Mitchell grows a wide range of hellebores and offers a seed list of wild-source
species.
http://www.evolution-plants.com
Graham Birkin: Mr. Birkin is recognized as one of the best hybridizers of the past few decades. Many of
his plants derived from those of Helen Ballard. He supplies divisions of plants to the US through a
supplier near Washington D.C.
http://hellebores.hort.net/homepage.html
Hazles Cross Farm Nursery: Mike Byford has worked to stabilize lines of Helleborus x hybridus and
also grows hellebore species and hybrids involving H. niger. His nursery is home to a national
collection of Helleborus. He also grows trilliums and other specialty perennials.
http://www.hazlescrossfarmnursery.co.uk
Phedar Nursery: Will McLewin has long established himself as one of the most knowledgeable
figures in the world when it comes to hellebores. Phedar has been the source of many species grown
in gardens and also some very fine hybrids.
www.phedar.com
Australia
Elizabeth Town Hellebores: John and Corrie Dudley produce hybrids and offer seed via mail order. It is
a very good source for seed from double plants and is the source of hybrids involving the proven
parent 'Mrs. Betty Ranicar', a very good white double cultivar. Their nursery is located in Elizabeth
Town, Tasmania.
http://hortus.customer.netspace.net.au
Post Office Farm Nursery: Probably one of the best sources for hellebores in Australia, Post Office
Farm has accumulated a wonderful assortment of stock plants for hybridizing. Their website is also
nicely organized and informative.
www.postofficefarmnursery.com.au
Japan
Noda Engei: A nursery in western Tokyo specializing in hellebores and camellias.
http://www.nodaengei.com
Wakaizumi Helleborus Farm: Beautiful artistic photos of some incredible plants. Information in
Japanese.
http://www.wakaizumi-farm.com
Informative Websites and Forums
www.hellebore.com
Graham Rice's site is still one of the most informative in English. The information follows that in the
Rice and Strangman book The Gardener's Guide to Growing Hellebores but in several cases is more
up to date. The site is particularly useful for those interested in the history of named cultivars; it also
includes a species section and information on hellebore culture and propagation.
www.gardenbuddies.com
Gardenbuddies has one of the most active Hellebore forums on the web.
www.gardenweb.com
Site of one of the oldest Hellebore forums and still occasionally active.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hellebore
A fairly active group with contributing members of all sorts. It also has a seed exchange every
summer, which is an added bonus.
http://www.helleborus-chris.com
The homepage for the Japanese Helleborus Society. Most of the information is in Japanese, but there
is also a small English section. This is a great place to browse as it contains many wonderful links to
exquisite photos of very nice hellebores.
http://www.helleborus.be
A well-structured and informative Belgian site. Information also in English
http://ohgi-nursery.seesaa.net
Very interesting archives with photos. Discussions and information in Japanese.
Books
Ahlburg, Marlene. Hellebores: Christmas Rose, Lenton Rose. B T Batsford Ltd, 1993. Out of print.
Becker, Christine. Helleborus: Eine Monografie. ViriditArt, 2011.
Burrell and Tyler: Hellebores: A Comprehensive Guide. Timber Press: Portland, Oregon, 2006.
Mathew, Brian. Hellebores, 1989. One of the best books on hellebores to date but unfortunately out of
print and very hard to find.
Schmiemann and Westrich. Helen Ballard, The Hellebore Queen. Florilegium, 1997. Out of print.
Strangman and Rice. The Gardener's Guide to Growing Hellebores. Timber Press: Portland, Oregon,
2001
Articles
McLewin, Will. "Hellebore Notes", 2002.
Available from Phedar Nursery. A 44 page pamphlet that serves as a very nice introduction to the
genus. It is also quite an entertaining read in places.
42, Bunkers Hill
Romiley
Stockport
UK
SK6 3DS
Telephone number +44 161 430 3772
Fax number +44 161 430 3772
Anyone with a serious interest in the genus may want to obtain copies of the series of articles by Will
McLewin and Brian Mathew that have appeared in The Plantsman/New Plantsman. Back issues are
available through the Royal Horticultural Society: theplantsman@rhspublications.co.uk
September 1996. 170-177.
General interest sites
American Horticultural Society: General information about many aspects of gardening, along with
useful resources and links.
www.ahs.org
Ranunculaceae Society: International organization based in Ireland devoted to promoting members of
the buttercup family. Some information on hellebores.
www.ranunculaceae.org
With the growth in the popularity of hellebores, the amount of information on the Web has grown
tremendously. Much of the information is useful, but as with all topics on the Web, plenty of it is
inaccurate as well. Here I've provided some links and resources that I believe to be for the most part
accurate, useful, and of quality.
I will add to this page as necessary. There are of course many breeders and experts in the world that
may not have business or personal websites. Gisella Schmiemann, Elizabeth Strangman, Elfi Rahr,
and Ian Collier are just a few that immediately come to mind. Fortunately, their plants are available at
least indirectly from several sources. There are also many good sites that are not listed here, many in
non-English formats. If you know of any sites that are particularly useful, please let me know:
admin@hellebores.org
Breeders/Growers
USA
Northwest Garden Nursery: Ernie and Marietta O'Byrne are regarded by many as producing some of
the best hybrids in North America. Their nursery is located in Eugene, Oregon. Their plants may be
purchased on site at their nursery or via mail order through Terra Nova.
www.northwestgardennursery.com
Pine Knot Farms: Dick and Judith Tyler grow many hellebores, including Ashwood plants. Judith is co-
author of a very good hellebore book published by Timber Press, Hellebores: A Comprehensive
Guide. Their nursery is located in Clarksville, Virginia.
www.pineknotfarms.com
Plant Delights: Tony Avent and company sponsor hellebore days each spring and have a large offering
of hellebores in their popular annual catalog. Tony has also created an informative web page devoted
to hellebores.
http://www.helleborehelleborehellebore.com
Sunshine Farms: Barry Glick has a very large collection of hellebores (6 acres worth) in his West
Virginia farm and garden. He is the producer of the commercial 'Sunshine Series' of Helleborus x
hybridus.
www.sunfarm.com
Canada
Pacific Rim Native Plant Nursery: A very interesting nursery that offers quite a few hellebore plants,
including many species.
http://www.hillkeep.ca/per%20helleborus.htm
Phoenix Perennials: Phoenix Perennials sponsors a Hellebore Hurrah (usually in February) and offers
a wide range of hellebore plants at its location in Richmond, BC.
http://www.phoenixperennials.com
Fraser's Thimble Farms: Fraser's sponsors hellebore days ('Helleboreganza') and has a hellebore
gallery on their website.
http://www.thimblefarms.com
Europe
Ashwood Nurseries: Regarded by many as the producer of some of the finest hybrids in the world,
Ashwood hybrids have become some of the most famous and sought after in recent years. They
produce a wide range of colors and forms.
www.ashwood-nurseries.co.uk
Chris and Rita Vermeire-Engels: Chris Vermeire has produced some wonderful hybrids in Belgium,
many involving species such as Helleborus torquatus. (Link currently unavailable as of March 2010)
Christine Becker: Christine is a hellebore enthusiast and grower and has created an informative site
with plenty of photos. Information is in German. She has also written a monograph on Helleborus,
which can be purchased online (see the second link).
http://www.helleborus-hellebores.com
http://helleborus-hellebores.com/Export3.html
Evolution Plants: Tom Mitchell grows a wide range of hellebores and offers a seed list of wild-source
species.
http://www.evolution-plants.com
Graham Birkin: Mr. Birkin is recognized as one of the best hybridizers of the past few decades. Many of
his plants derived from those of Helen Ballard. He supplies divisions of plants to the US through a
supplier near Washington D.C.
http://hellebores.hort.net/homepage.html
Hazles Cross Farm Nursery: Mike Byford has worked to stabilize lines of Helleborus x hybridus and
also grows hellebore species and hybrids involving H. niger. His nursery is home to a national
collection of Helleborus. He also grows trilliums and other specialty perennials.
http://www.hazlescrossfarmnursery.co.uk
Phedar Nursery: Will McLewin has long established himself as one of the most knowledgeable
figures in the world when it comes to hellebores. Phedar has been the source of many species grown
in gardens and also some very fine hybrids.
www.phedar.com
Australia
Elizabeth Town Hellebores: John and Corrie Dudley produce hybrids and offer seed via mail order. It is
a very good source for seed from double plants and is the source of hybrids involving the proven
parent 'Mrs. Betty Ranicar', a very good white double cultivar. Their nursery is located in Elizabeth
Town, Tasmania.
http://hortus.customer.netspace.net.au
Post Office Farm Nursery: Probably one of the best sources for hellebores in Australia, Post Office
Farm has accumulated a wonderful assortment of stock plants for hybridizing. Their website is also
nicely organized and informative.
www.postofficefarmnursery.com.au
Japan
Noda Engei: A nursery in western Tokyo specializing in hellebores and camellias.
http://www.nodaengei.com
Wakaizumi Helleborus Farm: Beautiful artistic photos of some incredible plants. Information in
Japanese.
http://www.wakaizumi-farm.com
Informative Websites and Forums
www.hellebore.com
Graham Rice's site is still one of the most informative in English. The information follows that in the
Rice and Strangman book The Gardener's Guide to Growing Hellebores but in several cases is more
up to date. The site is particularly useful for those interested in the history of named cultivars; it also
includes a species section and information on hellebore culture and propagation.
www.gardenbuddies.com
Gardenbuddies has one of the most active Hellebore forums on the web.
www.gardenweb.com
Site of one of the oldest Hellebore forums and still occasionally active.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hellebore
A fairly active group with contributing members of all sorts. It also has a seed exchange every
summer, which is an added bonus.
http://www.helleborus-chris.com
The homepage for the Japanese Helleborus Society. Most of the information is in Japanese, but there
is also a small English section. This is a great place to browse as it contains many wonderful links to
exquisite photos of very nice hellebores.
http://www.helleborus.be
A well-structured and informative Belgian site. Information also in English
http://ohgi-nursery.seesaa.net
Very interesting archives with photos. Discussions and information in Japanese.
Books
Ahlburg, Marlene. Hellebores: Christmas Rose, Lenton Rose. B T Batsford Ltd, 1993. Out of print.
Becker, Christine. Helleborus: Eine Monografie. ViriditArt, 2011.
Burrell and Tyler: Hellebores: A Comprehensive Guide. Timber Press: Portland, Oregon, 2006.
Mathew, Brian. Hellebores, 1989. One of the best books on hellebores to date but unfortunately out of
print and very hard to find.
Schmiemann and Westrich. Helen Ballard, The Hellebore Queen. Florilegium, 1997. Out of print.
Strangman and Rice. The Gardener's Guide to Growing Hellebores. Timber Press: Portland, Oregon,
2001
Articles
McLewin, Will. "Hellebore Notes", 2002.
Available from Phedar Nursery. A 44 page pamphlet that serves as a very nice introduction to the
genus. It is also quite an entertaining read in places.
42, Bunkers Hill
Romiley
Stockport
UK
SK6 3DS
Telephone number +44 161 430 3772
Fax number +44 161 430 3772
Anyone with a serious interest in the genus may want to obtain copies of the series of articles by Will
McLewin and Brian Mathew that have appeared in The Plantsman/New Plantsman. Back issues are
available through the Royal Horticultural Society: theplantsman@rhspublications.co.uk
- Mathew and McLewin. "Helleborus argutifolius, Helleborus lividus, and Helleborus x sternii",
The New Plantsman, June 2000.
- Mathew and McLewin. "Helleborus atrorubens: The Problem of
September 1996. 170-177.
- Mathew and McLewin. "Helleborus dumetorum: The Structure of Hellebore Flowers and its
Implications". The New Plantsman. 3:1, March 1996. 50-60.
- Mathew and McLewin. "Helleborus multifidus subsp. hercegovinus: Growth Idiosyncrasies of
Hellebores", The New Plantsman, 4:2, June 1997. 44-50.
- Mathew and McLewin. "Helleborus orientalis and Helleborus x hybridus", June 1998.
- Mathew and McLewin. "Helleborus purpurescens", The New Plantsman, September 1997.
- Mathew and McLewin. "Helleborus viridis", Plantsman. 1: 3, September 2002. 150-153. **This
article also covers H. occidentalis and contributed to the distinction between H. viridis and H.
occidentalis, the latter formerly known as H. viridis subsp. occidentalis.
- Mathew and McLewin. "Helleborus vesicarius and Helleborus thibetanus", The New Plantsman
6:3, September 1999. 139-147.
- Mathew and McLewin. "Introduction to Hellebores", The New Plantsman, June 1995.
- McLewin, Mathew, and Thomsen. "Helleborus bocconei and the Hellebores of Italy"
General interest sites
American Horticultural Society: General information about many aspects of gardening, along with
useful resources and links.
www.ahs.org
Ranunculaceae Society: International organization based in Ireland devoted to promoting members of
the buttercup family. Some information on hellebores.
www.ranunculaceae.org
