HELLEBORUS niger Snowdrift

Helleborus niger ‘Snowdrift’ is a compact, evergreen perennial valued for pristine white, saucer-shaped flowers that open from midwinter into early spring, providing welcome colour in the colder months. Its leathery, deep green foliage forms a neat clump at the front of partially shaded borders or under deciduous shrubs, thriving in moist but well-drained, humus-rich soil that is neutral to alkaline (including chalk). In Irish gardens it performs best with shelter from harsh winds and strong winter sun; keep the root area cool and evenly moist, and remove any tired leaves as flowers emerge to keep plants looking fresh.

To help give a clear sense of scale, the stone wall shown in our photos measures approximately 265cm in height. We also use familiar garden tools as visual references: a digging fork (110cm tall) and a hand fork (30cm tall). These are included purely as size guides to help you better judge proportions when viewing the images.

Position: Partial shade

Rate of Growth: Average

Soil: Moist but well-drained, humus-rich; neutral to alkaline (including chalk)

Hardiness: Fully hardy

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Plant at a Glance