Helleborus hybridus ViV Ariana

Oriental Hellebore Ariana is an early flowering variety with a compact habit. This Rose of Lent produces double flowers in pinkish-violet, dotted with a multitude of darker spots, from September onwards. A bunch of yellow stamens emerges from the centre, forming a happy contrast with the petals. Its dark green evergreen, compact foliage is decorative throughout the year, forming a clump only 35 to 45 cm (14 to 18in) high, making it suitable for both pots and gardens. It likes moist, even heavy but well-drained soils, neutral to chalky, and even slightly acidic. It needs a shaded location to develop well.

Hellebore Ariana is a member of the Ranunculaceae family, which includes about sixty genera and around 2500 species. Many of them are poisonous and contain substances which are toxic if ingested - a natural protection to prevent them from being grazed by herbivores. Despite this, they are valuable plants in the garden, as many genera are highly ornamental thanks to their remarkable flowering, such as Anemones, Ranunculus, Trollius, Aconitums, and many others, including Clematis. Helleborus orientalis is native to Greece, Turkey, and the central and eastern Caucasus. It is a perennial plant that readily hybridizes with other species, resulting in many hybrids of various colours and forms. Varieties are rarely named for these hybrids; they are distinguished by their shape and colour. The hybrid Hellebore is a hardy plant that can tolerate temperatures down to -15°C (5°F), naturally growing in forests, thickets, and clearings up to an altitude of 2,000 m (6,562 ft).

Ariana is part of a large collection of hybrids from a specialist Belgian company. This range has been selected over many years to obtain plants that combine compactness and floribundity. Ariana develops to form a dense and stocky clump, 35 to 45 cm (14 to 18in) high and almost as wide. It consists of evergreen, palmate , slightly toothed, dark green and shiny basal leaves, decorative throughout the year which actually only live for 8 months and are regularly replaced by new leaves. While this foliage has true decorative value, it is Ariana's flowering that is its charming feature from September to the end of October. The Highly double flowers are composed of several rows of pinkish-violet, concentric petals, dotted with numerous small purple spots, reminiscent of some Phalaenopsis hybrids. As with the majority of varieties, the flowers are slightly downward-facing to allow rainwater to drain, preventing the heart from rotting. Hellebore does not like to be moved once established, with young plants sometimes taking time to flower, so choose its location carefully when planting. The seeds are sown by ants.
This perennial adapts to neutral to moderately alkaline or slightly acidic soils, preferably rich and retaining some moisture, although an established plant can tolerate drought. It will be happy under a leafy tree, allowing winter sun to pass through but protecting it from the intense summer sun. It can also tolerate deeper shade, such as that provided by a coniferous canopy. Resistant to temperatures down to around -15°C (5°F), or even lower, it is a relatively easy plant to grow, and you can grow it in a pot on your terrace, thanks to its compactness. In this case, be sure to water regularly to prevent the soil from drying out, which would harm the roots.

This early-flowering Hellebore will extend the flowering season if planted in a mixed border, under the shade of trees or large shrubs. To take over from Ariana and offer you flowers in winter, a wide choice of other varieties of Hellebore awaits you. Then the numerous varieties of Bergenia will brighten up the days of March and April and beyond. Acanthus mollis Tasmanian Angel, a compact Acanthus with variegated foliage, will produce white-pinkish flower spikes in June-July. Other perennials with decorative foliage, such as Alchemilla sericata Gold Strike, with grey-green leaves on which raindrops form small beads, and covered with a halo of chartreuse-yellow flowers all summer, will complete the seasonal cycle.