Hellebores

The hellebores on the south wall of the house are still looking lovely, but will soon need to be cut back if they are not to self-seed, providing many annoying seedlings to dispose of. Our deep burgundy plant usually flowers over Christmas, but this year for the first time in many we didn't have any blooms to put on the dinner table. It made up for it, as you can see, late in January. Ladybirds are out in force, and the one I've found on the hellebores is probably feasting on the aphids that breed on the undersides of their leaves.