TIDYING is a never-ending task. Evergreen plants such as bergenias or elephants ears can add much winter interest as normally green leaves in many instances turn to shades of beetroot and red. But there is not much enjoyment in them if plants are. disfigured. by blotched and decaying foliage. Occasionally, damaged leaves should be cut away, care being taken to spare the good foliage.
The same applies to hellebores which are now coming into flower. It is impossible to savour and enjoy the blooms if they are hidden among the old foliage. Here I am concerned with the ones we know as the Lenten Rose, commonly called Helleborus orientalis hybrids. Correctly we should call them Helleborus x hybrids. The foliage is evergreen i.e., lasting through the winter. Generally the old leaves become stained and blackened in places after midwinter, and all these are best cut away carefully, allowing new leaves to unfold with the emerging flowers during spring.
In some places, botrytis will disfigure and rot the new flower stems. To prevent this, water with a systemic fungicide such as benlate. Removing all old foliage is a first step to keeping disease at bay. Severe frost will leave the new stems and flowers flattened and dejected-looking. But they are hardy individuals and a thaw will perk them up.