Helleborus x Hybridus (Ashwood Garden Hybrid) Evolution Group Yellow

 

Helleborus Breeders, Nurseries and Suppliers

 

By Howard Drury

 

Although the popularity of Hellebores has increased in recent years, and you will often find Hellebores for sale in virtually every garden centre or nursery, there are few actual Helleborus breeders in the UK. Several such as Elizabeth Strangman and Robin White have retired or the nursery closed. I am aware this list is not definitive. There is also a kind of chain breeding where Hellebores are introduced that do not appear to be any improvement  but are simply mass-produced by seed or micropropagation from older breeding lines originally from top breeders some time ago. I am aware the Ashwood Nurseries no longer offer seed for sale, but some smaller nurseries are supposed to be offering seed of Ashwood lines, something I do not think is fair on the original breeders.

In some cases micro-propagated plants are sold and while these are identical to the parent, there are many issues with plants not being as robust or very hardy unlike some of their parents. This is in many cases caused by breeders using less hardy line in original breeding programmes, such as Helleborus lividus or its descendants. In the words of one world-class breeder, micropropagation simply does not work.

 Another worrying trend is to offer un-flowered younger plants for sale raised from seed, meaning the plant can be virtually any colour found in the Helleborus range, but more often than not a pale or muddy colour and non-distinct. I prefer to see more mature plants in full bloom at the time of purchase, as you know exactly what you are purchasing. This does make them somewhat more expensive.

 Online sales are now available at many Helleborus specialists, and most will ship out exactly the same plant that would be for sale to callers at the nursery. However, there is something about selecting your own plant from a batch of carefully hybridized seedlings that makes that plant with its individual characteristics and merits more satisfying and personal.

Ashwood Nurseries

Ashwood Lower Lane, Kinver, Kingswinford DY6 0AE

Opening: Monday to Saturday 8.30-5.00 Sunday 9.00-5pm (Summer hours from 1st March  are slightly longer)

Telephone: 01384 401 996

Website: ashwoodnurseries.com

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Location: sign posted off the A449 between Kidderminster and Wolverhampton

Catalogue: online or send 4 first class stamps

Mail Order: Both UK. and worldwide, huge range of plants and products including gifts from the gift shop.

Hellebores: Superb range of fine forms in separate colours available  at the nursery, usually from Late January until early spring. Please note, they are not normally available as flowering plants at other times of the year, although smaller plug plants are sometimes offered.

Other Specialities: Hardy Cyclamen, Lewisias, Hepaticas and an exceptional range of other plants. Plants available to visitors who can also enjoy the exceptional restaurant.

The Beth Chatto Gardens

Elmstead Market, Clacton Rd, Elmstead, Colchester CO7 7DB

Telephone: 01206 822 007

 Website: Beth Chatto Plants and Gardens

Opening: Daily 1st Nov to End February 10am-4pm 1st March to 31st October 10am - 5pm

Location: Half a mile east of Elmstead Market on the A133

Catalogue: £3.00

Mail Order: Yes

Hellebores: Selection of species and named varieties, some raised by the late Beth Chatto.

Other Specialities: Wide range of choice perennials. Superb 7.5 acre garden

Blackthorn Nursery Hampshire

This nursery was previously run by Robin and Sue White and is now closed

Burncoose Nurseries

Burncoose Nurseries: Gwennap, Redruth, Cornwall TR16 6BJ

Opening Hours: Monday - Saturday, 8.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Sunday 11.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

Telephone: +44 (0) 1209 860316

Fax: +44 (0) 1209 860011

Website: Burncoose Nurseries

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Location: Burncoose Nurseries are situated directly on the main A393 Redruth to Falmouth road between the villages of Lanner and Ponsanooth.

Catalogue: Online with lots of guides and help

Hellebores: Link takes you to Hellebore section of catalogue

Other Specialities: Huge range of plants, many rarely available elsewhere

Cruig Farm Plants

Griffith's Crossing, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, LL55 1TU.

Telephone: 10248 670 232

Website: Crug Farm Plants

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Location: 2 miles north-east of Caernarfon, just off A487

opening: April to September Thursday to Saturday 9.30-4.30 and by appointment

Catalogue: online mail order and downloadable catalogue

Mail order: Yes

Hellebores: Seedlings in separate colours plus species grown from wild collected seed

Other Specialities: Perennials and shrubs grown from wild collected seed, plus hardy geraniums and other choice plants.

Farmyard Nurseries

Farmyard Nurseries, Dol Llan Rd, Llandysul SA44 4RL

Telephone 01559 363 389

Website: Farm Yard Nurseries

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Location: Fifteen miles from Carmarthen, just outside Llandysul near the junction of A486

Opening: Monday to Sunday 08.30 - 17,00

Catalogue: 4 First class stamps, also available as download from website

Mail Order: Yes

Hellebores: Good range of seedlings in separate colours

Other Specialities: Hardy perennials, especially Tricyrtis

Harvey's Garden Plants

Mulberry Cottage, Bradfield St George, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP30 0AY

Telephone: 01284 386777

Fax: 01284 386777

Website: www.harveysgardenplants.co.uk

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Location: In Bradfield St George village, off the A134 between Bury St Edmunds and Sudbury

Opening: January 15 - June 30 and September 1 - October 31: Fridays, 9.30am-5pm, most Saturdays, 9.30am-1pm.

Catalogue: Five 1st class stamps or online.

Mail order: Yes.

Hellebores: Wide range of Roger Harvey’s own strains

Other specialities: Euphorbias, pulmonarias and other choice perennials

Phedar Nursery

Bunkers Hill, Romiley, Stockport, Cheshire, SK6 3DS

Telephone: 0161 430 3772

Fax: 0161 430 3772

Website Phedar Nursery

Location: Send an sae for a map!

Opening: Frequent (especially in spring), but irregular. Ring for an appointment

Catalogue: Three A5 addressed envelopes (or address labels) plus four 1st class stamps

Mail order: Yes

Hellebores: Seedlings in individual colours, species grown from seed collected in the wild, mainly by Will McLewin.

Other specialities: Peonies

Rarer Plants

Ashfield House, Austfield Lane, Monk Fryston, Leeds, LS25 5EH

Telephone: 01977 682263

Location: Near the junction of the A1 and A63.

Opening: Saturdays and Sundays only, 10am-4pm, 1 February to 1 May.

Catalogue: Send sae.

Mail order: No

Hellebores: Seedlings resulting from hand pollination of choice parents from Eric Smith, Helen Ballard and Elizabeth Strangman. Also H. x ballardiae 'Anne Watson Strain', said to be a true breeding seed strain.

Other specialities: Choice snowdrops and other unusual plants.

Rodney Davey

RD Plants, Homelea Farm, A358 Chard Road, Tytherleigh, nr Axminster Devon

Telephone 01460 220 206

Opening: Daily 10-4pm until May

Mail Order:None

Note Rodeney Davey Marbled strain is now commercially handled by Bransford Webb and currently 12 of their raising from Rodney's originals are available widely in most good garden centres.

Twelve Nunns Nursery

Postal address only 16 Carisbrook Grove, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2GF

Telephone 01778 590 455 We are often out on the nursery talking to the plants, so please excuse us if we can’t answer the phone. Please leave a message, and we will call you back as soon as we can.

Website: Twelve Nunns Nursery

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Hellebores: From the original Hugh Nunn stock

Other Specialities: The Home of Harvington Hellebores®, Roscoeas, Trilliums & Erythroniums

Note: Twelve Nunns is a small specialist nursery near Stamford, Lincolnshire selling pot plants, plug plants, seeds and bulbs direct to you through our online shop and by mail order. We are not open to visit.

Washfield Nursery

This nursery was previously run By Elizabeth Strangman and is now closed.

The information given in this Fact Sheet is provided in good faith.  It is however of necessity general information and advice on the topic.  Howard Drury will not be under any liability in respect of the provision of such advice and information and you are strongly advised to seek independent advice on any particular gardening problems or queries you may have, preferably from experts who can (when appropriate) inspect the problem before providing advice.

(C) 2022. This material has been produced by Howard Drury and must not be reproduced in part or full for gain in any way without the written consent of Howard Drury, Kings Heath Birmingham, B13 0SJ.

JHD 17/02/2022 or visit www.thedrurys.com, alternatively contact Howard by email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. It must not be used for commercial gain or be posted elsewhere on the web without permission but can be used for personal educational use only.