Hellebores are such a shy under-rated flower, but they are one of my favourite blooms. The Christmas Rose appears in December. The white and lime petals make an excellent Christmas table floral decoration. They bow their shy heads down towards to cold winter ground. If you get the chance, gently tilt the flower upwards to really appreciate its beauty.
There are so many different varieties and colours in the Hellebore family, which we discovered last weekend when we visited Bosvigo Gardens for their Special Hellebore Day. This event in appreciation of the Hellebore is held once a year. The funds raised go towards Shelterbox which is an excellent cause. For a donation to Shelterbox you can wander around the woodland walk and enjoy the spring flowers tucked into mossy beds alongside the tall tree trunks.
I’ve used my Christmas Rose (Helleborus niger) illustration on greeting cards and prints. Most recently I’ve printed it onto linen to make lampshades and cushions, which have been so popular with my customers. This year I’ve created a pink version which I have printed onto velvet for a sumptious velvet throw, perfect for the floral lover’s contemporary interior decor.
I decided to take up doing a bit of embroidery to give me peace of mind and working quietly with my hands, which is alway been great therapy. I’ve been working on a fabric collage. First I cut out hellebore flower and leaf shapes in fine silk fabric. Then using bondaweb I ironed the shapes onto a mustard colour linen. I have then started to embroider detail onto the shapes. It is quite time consuming, and progress is slow, but it is a pleasurable alternative away from screens and digital life.
If you haven’t been to the Special Hellebore Day at Bosvigo Gardens, try to add it to your February 2021 calendar, it is definitely worth a detour on a Saturday morning.
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