This year, Lent began on February 17th (Ash Wednesday) and continued for 46 days, ending yesterday, April 3rd or Holy Saturday. It is no wonder why gardeners have dubbed Helleborus the "Lenten Rose". Helleborus is a beautiful and showy, low-growing, evergreen groundcover. It begins to bloom in early-February, making itself one of the few beauties in bloom that time of year. It will stay in bloom through to the end of this month at least, meaning it will be in bloom a full three months!
Helleborus comes in a variety of foliage types and bloom colors. I grow Orientalis here and just adore the soft yellows and pale purples with their speckled centers. They are also interesting in that the bloom heads droop downward under the tallest of it's leafy canopies. I imagine that they were born to be remind us of respectful prayer.
"Lent is a time to listen to the voice of the conscience and to the whispering of the Spirit in the depth of our heart. Lent is a time to be oriented to heaven." -Father Santhosh Sebastian CheruvallyY
