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Hellebores in Winter
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Looking for a brisk walk through a beautiful space? Come to Elm Bank. Yes, the massive stands of annuals and perennials are a memory, but now is when garden 'structure' comes to the fore in places like the Bressingham and Weezie's gardens.
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Autumn flame dogwood
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And, if you look carefully, there are flowers or winter branches that become invisible during the other seasons. Winter Flame dogwood (cornus sanguinea 'Winter Flame') is a pleasant but unremarkable shrub with medium green leaves and an insignificant flower during the summer. But when the leaves fall and the plant is hit by a hard frost, orange-red branches that seem almost on fire emerge. You can see multiple specimens of this wonderful shrub in the Bressingham Garden.
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Winter heather
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You'll also find winter-blooming heathers (calluna vulgaris) around Elm Bank; their striking pink or purple flowers are low to the ground, framing rocks. And, look closely and you'll find clutches of winter-blooming hellebores (Helleborus) around the gardens. These durable plants will eventually be covered by a foot of snow but, when as soon as it melts, those flowers will not only be present, they'll have multiplied.
So, come see us, and keep a sharp eye out for the more subtle beauty at Mass Hort.
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