Hellebore 'Pink Frost'

'Pink Frost' might be the first hellebore that I've grown in Albuquerque, and it has turned out to be one of my favorites. When I first got it, I had it planted in a pot at my entry that had afternoon sun and shade the rest of the day. Of course that turned out to be the worst situation, as it wants the opposite. It did not bloom for me, and it wilted in an exhausted heap in the afternoons. It languished there for a few years. In 2012 I moved to The Modern House  and moved the pot to a spot that was mostly shady, where it didn't seem much happier.  I transplanted it to the deep shade, of the courtyard, which also turned out to be less than ideal. It grew there for a few years, but did not bloom. I thought that it was a just a finicky plant or that the New Mexico climate just was too challenging.  I then transplanted it to a brighter spot in 2016, dividing the plant. I almost killed it in the process. Only a few leaves survived that first year. In 2017, I got some flowers. Yay! I can't say that I was terribly impressed though.

'Pink Frost' 2017

'Pink Frost' 2017

The flowers were attractive enough in form, but the color was less than exciting being pink flushed and greenish. Kind of murky actually. But I was happy enough that it was alive and actually blooming.

In 2018, it produced a number of flowers. Now I was much more exited. The flowers had more color, and a lot more of them.

'Pink Frost' 2018

'Pink Frost' 2018

'Pink Frost' 2018

'Pink Frost' 2018

Now I was getting excited. As the flowers aged, they developed this murky, almost metallic look to them, which I didn't like at first, but then one day I realized I loved this unusual color.

This year, the plants seem to really be hitting their stride.
The flowers last for a good month, and open a pale pink. They develop more color in their first week, and then as they age and the anthers drop, they develop that murky color. I think they are beautiful at every stage.

'Pink Frost' 2019

'Pink Frost' 2019

'Pink Frost' 2019

'Pink Frost' 2019

Are they finicky? Well, yes and no. In climates other than this, I think they would be supremely easy in high shade. Here we get either intense blazing sunshine, or dark shade, and it's tough to find a spot in between. I bought a couple more 'Pink Frost' to plant beside these, and those just said "what the heck is this place?!" and gave up the ghost. I think they were poor plants to begin with, though. But once established, they are easy and rewarding. They just need a few years and the right spot to get established. Then they will strut their stuff.