first winter roses

jacob

 Although the true roses are ending, the winter roses (Helleborus) are starting to come out. About 4-5 days ago, the first of 'Jacob' appeared. I liked it so much that I bought a couple more. This is the first plant I bought, and it began blooming about this time last year.

jacob 2

 'Jacob' 2 has a few flowers opening. 'Jacob' 3 had a battle with spider mites this summer, and although it survived, it is not blooming.

nell lewis

'Nell Lewis' is a few years old now, and these are the first flowers on it.

I don't have any of the new flashy colors in Hellebores. The original white are still my favorite.

still a few blooms

Despite the four inches of snow we had, some of the roses hung in there and are still blooming. I thought they might be freeze-dried when I saw them, but nope. Still fresh. Still fragrant.


There are still a couple of flowers left on 'Iceberg'

Iceberg

 There's a few on 'Bolero' which still has crispy edges like it did all summer. Sigh. To take out all of them, or not.

Another rose I've been debating removing are the two bushes I have of 'William Shakespeare 2000.' Such miserable plants. Of course, despite the snow and nightly freezing temperatures, there is this one gorgeous, perfect, fragrant bloom. 

'Old Blush' has a few flowers hanging on. 

'Falstaff' has a bud, but not particularly happy.

'Bishop's Castle' has a few amazingly nice flowers, which have a different fragrance than in the summer. 

I don't know if this flower on 'Alnwick Castle' counts, but what the heck.

wet, heavy snow

 The wet heavy snow we are getting sure is pretty.

Not a very common occurrence here.

We can certainly use the moisture.

 Looks like Christmas.

 Or at least winter.

But the snow weighs down branches. Can you believe that I knocked the snow off this redbud only 15 minutes ago?

The heavy wet snow breaks branches.

 So sad.  Half of this young tree just broke off. The apple trees are bowed as well, and I keep going out to knock off the snow.

'Bolero' rose under the snow.


The last of the 'Bishop's Castle' rose under the snow.