I just picked up a new hellebore and wanted to know when the best time to plant it would be.
Thank you for contacting the Toronto Master Gardeners.
Hellebores are shade garden plants, preferring partial shade and a rich, moist soil, high in organic matter. Although they like some moisture, don’t let them sit in wet soil for prolonged periods of time or they will rot.
Hellebores are extremely cold tolerant. Freezing temperatures will not affect flowering or foliage development, but an abrupt change in temperatures can. If you keep your Hellebores in a cool location now to acclimatize, you do not have to wait for the last frost date (May 9) before planting it outside. Last frost dates are only valid markers for frost sensitive plants, not frost hardy perennials such as Hellebores. After about a week of acclimatization to the outdoors, you can then plant as soon as the snow has gone and your soil is no longer frozen.
Happy Planting!