Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
The Braselton News
Page 7A
Hellebores: Deer-proof winter beauties
Gardener’s
Grapevine
with
Fil Jessee
filwrites@aol.com
If the lyrics for the Austrian-
German folksong “Edelweiss”
were revised to fit growing con
ditions in north Georgia, the
featured alpine “blossom of
snow” would probably be hel
lebores instead.
Four species of this European
and west Asian perennial are
dependable midwinter bloom
ers in our climate zone, great for
shade, and totally distasteful to the
local deer population.
Like the much smaller edelweiss,
a tiny sunflower relative that often
pokes through mountain ice and
snow when no other plant dares,
hellebores are unaffected by our
worst winter weather. In fact, they
seem to thrive on it.
As a bonus, the tough leathery
foliage is attractive and palm-like
and, so, the plants have year-round
interest in shade. There, they are
perfect companions to hostas,
ferns, hardy begonias, other wood
land perennials, and reseeding
annuals like impatiens..
The best known of the Helleborus
species is probably H. niger, popu
larly known as the Christmas or
Lenten rose. However, I’m not
sure how it acquired the Christmas
nickname, for it certainly doesn’t
resemble a rose and seldom opens
its first flowers until January and
early February. On the other hand,
the plants often begin to form buds
as early as Thanksgiving.
The individual flowers of the
Christmas rose normally emerge
light green and gradually fade to
pure white. They are often speck
led with orchid-like pink, purple,
or burgundy spots near the centers.
Hybrids, however, can display a
similar range of color in the petals
as well and some of the newest
introductions are double.
One of the best is called the
“Double Queen Strain” with flow
ers reminiscent of small sasanqua
camellias. Another worthwhile
assortment of hybrids is known as
the Brandywine Strain, and fea
tures mostly single blooms plus a
few doubles of exceptional form in
a broad array of colors.
In addition to variations of the
original Christmas rose, other spe
cies offer special interest more
in their evergreen foliage than in
their flowers. These include the
Corsican and Bear Claw helle
bores, which offer finer textured
palmate leaves on taller stems.
SHADE LOVING PLANT
Typically, most hellebores grow
from 12-24 inches in height, and
prefer dappled shade like that
found beneath deciduous hard
woods. And though they can hold
their own in clay, all prefer a rich
organic and acidic soil. If the dirt
is well-drained and suitable for
azaleas and rhododendrons, it’s
generally just right for hellebores
as well.
In addition to the fact that these
plants brighten the darkest days of
winter, long before the first crocus
show color, I appreciate the lon
gevity of the individual flowers.
While camellias usually drop
petals after four or five days, helle
bores hang on to theirs for an excep
tionally long time. Consequently,
hellebore blooms can remain in
full glory from February to May.
After that, the flowers will grad
ually revert to green while still
holding their shape. When this
occurs, seed capsules often swell
in the center of the flowers, even
tually popping open and releas
ing an abundance of small black
seeds.
Although artificial propagation
of ripe hellebore seed is said to
be difficult by some horticultural
manuals, I find that mine frequent
ly sprout pretty well wherever they
land. Therefore, I always seem to
have enough seedlings to share
with gardening friends, or to trans
plant to additional locations in my
own back yard.
It does take a while, however, for
seedlings to reach maturity. Yet, I
find that I can speed up the pro
cess considerably by feeding
the offspring liquid fertilizer in
the fall and winter. That’s not
a good time to feed most other
perennials, but it’s perfect for
hellebores since that is when
they are in active growth.
And I have further discovered
that if I feed my hellebores with
the same high phosphorous fertil
izer I use for pansies in the fall,
my plants will produce a greater
abundance of larger flowers in
December and January.
Thankfully, I have never found it
necessary to spray hellebores with
deer repellant. Even when these
animals are desperate enough to
munch on English ivy and hydran
gea tips, they seem to avoid hel
lebore foliage and blooms without
exception.
PEST RESISTANT
For this reason, I like to place
hellebores generously among hos
tas, which might as well be deer
candy. It may just be a coinci
dence, but it seems that the ani
mals bother my hostas less when
hellebores are in close proximity.
And while hostas with softer
leaves often wilt during the hot
test days of summer, well-mulched
hellebores seldom do, even under
drought conditions. They are also
largely impervious to rabbits,
slugs, snails, and most chewing
insects.
If these plants have any weak
ness at all, it’s probably in the
fragility of their stiff stems and
foliage. Hard rains, wind, and even
pea-sized hail won’t hurt them.
Playful dogs, small children, and
falling tree limbs in spring and
summer can, however, and dam
aged foliage will not be replaced
with fresh until late autumn. So,
do keep this in mind in selecting
optimum planting sites.
Fil Jessee lives in Braselton,
where he works as a freelance jour
nalist. He is a Georgia Certified
Plant Professional with experience
in ornamental horticulture and
landscape design. Reader ques
tions relating to gardening can be
sent to Fil at filwrites@aol.com.
Author to speak at lunch and learn on Dec. 9
The Friends of the Braselton-West Jackson
Library will host author Howard Garner for a lunch
and learn session on Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 11:30
a.m., at the Braselton Police and Municipal Court
Building.
Garner will discuss his novel “Pacific Escape,” a
story about loss and redemption, guilt and escape,
set against the backdrop of cherry blossom time
and Japan’s conflicted memories of World War II.
Garner lives in Richmond, Va., and is professor
emeritus at Virginia Commonwealth University. He
taught special education there for 26 years.
The lunch and learn program is $5 and includes
soup, salad, bread, dessert and tea.
Bring one for chipper event set for Jan. 5
Now that you’ve got that Christmas tree up, Keep
Jackson County Beautiful says it’s not too early to
start thinking of how you will dispose of it when all
the gifts are a distant memory.
The organization will hold its Bring One for the
Chipper recycling event Saturday, Jan. 5, from 9 a.m.
to 2 p.m. Trees will be recycled into mulch or used as
wildlife habitat.
Drop-off sites include the Lanier Technical College
parking lot on South Elm Street in Commerce, the
Jefferson Civic Center, the Jackson County Transfer
Station, and the First Baptist Church of Hoschton.
Those participating will receive a free dogwood
seedling while supplies last.
For information, call Susan Trepaganier, execu
tive director of Keep Jackson County Beautiful at
706-708-7198 or visit online at www.keepjackson-
countybeautiful.com.
Airman Joshua Pearson completes basic training
Air Force Airman Joshua D. Pearson has graduated
from basic military training at Lackland Air Force
Base, San Antonio, Texas.
He is the son of Pam Pearson, Braselton, and is a
2006 graduate of Johnson High School, Oakwood.
During the six weeks of training, the airman studied
the Air Force mission, organization, and military cus
toms and courtesies; performed drill and ceremony
marches, and received physical training, rifle marks
manship, field training exercises, and special training
in human relations.
In addition, airmen who complete basic training
earn credits toward an associate degree through the
Community College of the Air Force.
CARHARTT-LARGEST INVENTORY
LOWEST PRICES ANYWHERE!
One of Georgia’s largest Carhartt dealers.
Winter clothes just arrived!
CARHARTT COATS, PANTS, BELTS, CAPS, GLOVES,
VESTS, THERMAL UNDERWEAR, INSULATED &
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IF CARHARTT MAKES IT, IRVIN’S HAS IT!
Sizes from 2T for kids to 60 and 4XXXL
IRVIN’S STORE & HUNTING SUPPLY
Located 6 miles South of Baldwin on Old 441. Look for the signs.
4964 Hwy 441 N, Baldwin • 706-778-6116
Hours 9:00-5:00 Mon-Sat, December Hours: Sun 10:00-4:00
SELECTING A WINNER
Jackson County Habitat for Humanity board members (L-R) Bonnie Jones, Stan Beeco and Dee
Lavender watch as Jackson County Sheriff Stan Evans pulls the winning playhouse raffle ticket from
the barrel.
Habitat for Humanity playhouse winner named
Just to keep it “legal,” Jackson County Sheriff
Stan Evans was asked to do the honors in the
drawing of the winning raffle ticket for Jackson
County Habitat for Humanity’ playhouse.
After turning the barrel over several times
to make sure the tickets were well mixed, he
looked at the ceiling, stuck his hand in the
barrel and pulled out the winning $10 entry
— Sandra Fite, a Jackson County resident and
MainStreet Newspapers employee.
The playhouse was built by members of the
Jackson County Habitat board to raise funds for
the county’s eighth Habitat house. Construction
was supervised by board member Stan Beeco,
owner of Beeco Building Contractor, Inc. Board
members had several weekend work days to
complete the 8’ x 10’ 6” playhouse that sports
a front porch, dormer windows and flower
boxes.
The playhouse raffle raised more than $3,500
for the construction of a decent, affordable
home for a deserving Jackson County family.
Sgt. Robert Powell completes basic training
Army Sgt. Robert J. Powell has graduated from
basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia,
S.C. Powell earned distinction as an honor grad
uate of the course.
He is the son of Bob Powell, Hoschton, and
grandson of James Kerby, Lawrenceville.
The sergeant graduated in 2001 from Jackson
County Comprehensive High School, and received
a bachelor’s degree in 2007 from North Georgia
College and State University, Dahlonega.
During the nine weeks of training, the soldier
studied the Army mission, history, tradition
and core values, physical fitness, and received
instruction and practice in basic combat skills,
military weapons, chemical warfare and bayo
net training, drill and ceremony, marching, rifle
marksmanship, armed and unarmed combat, map
reading, field tactics, military courtesy, military
justice system, basic first aid, foot marches, and
field training exercises.
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