This time of year, anyone who walks around my farm always admires the beautiful hellebore flowers.
Hellebores come in such an artful array of colors, markings and formations, it’s hard not to love these fascinating perennials. Sometimes known as Lenten rose or Christmas rose, these plants are long-lived, easy-to-grow and thrive in shady locations. I’ve had hellebores in my gardens for many years, and I find it so rewarding to have blooms that start in March, and continue through spring until the end of May - to me, hellebores are must-haves for any gardener's collection.
Here are some photos of the hellebores blooming at my farm right now, enjoy.
Hellebores are among the earliest perennial flowers to bloom. They are members of the Eurasian genus Helleborus – about 20 species of evergreen perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae. They blossom during late winter and early spring for up to three months.
Hellebores are widely popular because they are easy-to-grow and are able to resist frost. It is common to plant them on slopes or in raised beds in order to see their flowers, which tend to nod.
I have many hellebores planted around my farm – under allées, in the gardens across from my pergola, and in various beds near my Winter House. Hellebores prefer partial to full shade during the warmer months but require more sunlight in winter. They do best underneath deciduous trees where they are shaded by foliage in summer but are exposed to full sun after the trees have dropped their leaves in fall.
The bright green foliage looks so dramatic against the colors of their blooms. Hellebore foliage is thick, evergreen, and forms a low clump with leaves that are lobed and palm-like.
Hellebores get their common name, Lenten rose, from the rose-like flowers that appear in and around the Christian observance of Lent.
Here is a dark colored hellebore just about to open. The flowers come in a wide range of colors including shades of maroon, apricot, yellow, green, metallic blue, slate, dusky pink, and white, with or without picotee, spots, and freckles.
They also come in a variety of flower forms – single, semi-double, fully double, and anemone.
What’s most impressive is their bowl-shaped blooms. This one is light pink and white with dark edges.
As new growth stalks emerge, any old or damaged foliage can be trimmed back to the base. We just groomed all the hellebores here at the farm.
This hellebore has dark magenta and light green-white blooms with heavy veining.
Unlike the blooms of most other flowering plants, hellebore flowers do not consist of petals, but of sepals, which serve to protect the flower.
The sepals surround a ring of small, cup-like nectaries which are actually petals modified to hold nectar. The sepals and veins on this hellebore are deeply colored to invite pollinators.
These plants are not choosy about their insects, so all types can pollinate the flowers effectively.
These plants are also fairly deer and rabbit resistant.
Here, one can see the stamens – the long white filaments with bilocular anthers. Each flower can have many stamens.
Hellebores can reach up to 36-inches in height and width, so when planting, be sure to position hellebores in protected areas away from winter winds.
They are considered slow-growing plants that can take up to 18-months to reach their mature size.
After the first year, when the plant is well-established, hellebores are very resistant and require little upkeep.
The natural downward facing growth pattern helps protect the blooms from rain, since water sheds well off the sepal backsides.
And look how pretty the flowers are when turned up.
They like to be watered deeply enough to saturate the root zone but then not watered again until the soil feels dry to the touch. These plants are drought tolerant but quite sensitive to soggy soil.
Given the right conditions, hellebores will spread nicely in the garden and look beautiful through the season. Wherever you live, I hope you are able to enjoy some of these early colors of spring.
Wine and food festivals are an excellent way to gather culinary experts, spirits producers, vendors, and consumers, so they could meet and exchange ideas and experiences.
Last week, I participated in the second annual Nassau Paradise Island Wine and Food Festival in the Bahamas. It was held at Atlantis Paradise Island, an oceanside resort and home of the world's largest open-air marine habitat. The five day event was presented by Atlantis and featured tastings, wine pairings, culinary demonstrations and classes, happy hours, and meals led by various experts including Nobu Matsuhisa, Michael White, Robert Irvine, Andrew Zimmern, master mixologist Tony Abou-Ganim, and others. While there, I hosted two events - a sunset cocktail hour and dinner and a mid-afternoon garden party luncheon.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
I hope you caught my recent post on Instagram @MarthaStewart48. I just returned from a brief business trip to the Bahamas! Here I am with one of the dolphins at Dolphin Cay, a world-class marine habitat, focused on creating a safe and sophisticated environment for dolphins and other species at Atlantis.
If you’ve never been, the Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean. My niece, Sophie Herbert Slater, who accompanied me on the trip, took this photo as we neared our sunny destination.
This was the second annual wine and food festival. Proceeds from the event support the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, dedicated to saving marine life and its habitats throughout the Bahamas and Caribbean seas.
The five-day affair was held at Atlantis Paradise Island, a lush and exclusive resort now celebrating its 25th anniversary. It includes Aquaventure, one of the world’s largest waterparks, five unique lodging options,more than 40-restaurants, bars and lounges, an award-winning 18-hole golf course and sports center, the marine-habitat, and more.
Here I am with Lee Schrager, the festiival’s co-director. You may recognize him from another iconic wine and food event – Lee is the mastermind of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival.
On our first day, we had some time to visit with some of the marine life on the island.
There are many sea creatures that call the area home including starfish.
Underwater tanks allowed us to see some of the 250 marine species here at Atlantis.
This sandy, shallow lagoon is home to young stingrays.
We also saw this sea turtle.
… And this black-tipped reef shark.
Later in the evening, I hosted a ‘Sunset Soiree’ followed by a wine dinner. Wait staff greeted guests with refreshments.
Here are some of the wines served at the soiree, including of course – 19 Crimes Martha’s Chard.
After the soiree and before dinner, I participated in a short interview with radio and television host, Billy Bush – I brought the wine.
Don’t forget, “work hard, play hard, and drink Martha’s Chard.”
Here is a giant sand culture made for the event.
The weather was perfect during our stay – sunny skies and the clearest views of the ocean.
The next day, I hosted a garden luncheon. Here I am with Audrey Oswell, President and Managing Director of Atlantis Paradise Island. I am wearing an Oscar de la Renta dress.
Here’s Chef Alon Shaya at Silan, his new restaurant at Atlantis. He is holding his book, “Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel: A Cookbook.”
And just before leaving, we made one last stop at the famous McKenzie’s Conch Shack to experience the Bahamas’ most authentic flavors. Kenneth McKenzie has been making his delicious dishes for 35-years and is among the favorites here on Paradise Island – one must try his conch salad.
And here’s a photo of me and my team – John Rice, Daisy Schwartzberg Toye, Sophie, and Ben Levine. What a fun trip to the Bahamas!
Hudson River Park continues to be one of the most vibrant spaces in New York City.
The 550-acre riverfront park and estuarine sanctuary spans four miles along the west side of Manhattan, from the northern boundary of Battery Park City in Tribeca to West 59th Street in Hell’s Kitchen. The largest open space in Manhattan since the completion of Central Park, Hudson River Park is transforming decaying industrial waterfront into a beloved, urban recreational paradise. I am very proud to be on the Board of Hudson River Park Friends - an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to the development, care, and enhancement of the space, and the designated fundraising partner of the Hudson River Park Trust.
Not long ago, HRPF held the Playground Committee 8th Annual Luncheon to raise funds for hundreds of free public education and environmental sustainability programs, including special events for families and children, and the Park's sports courts and fields where countless children have learned to play team sports. This includes the maintenance and care of the new 4,000-square-foot Pier 26 Science Playground that opened in January. This playground advances the Park’s environmental programming and invites children to learn about local ecology and fish anatomy up-close while climbing, exploring and having fun.
Enjoy these photos.
Over the years, my family and I have spent lots of time at the Hudson River Park. Pier 84 is a popular pier with its spacious lawn and trees. (Photo courtesy of HudsonRiverPark.org)
This is historic Pier 57. The public rooftop, with its incredible views of Little Island and New York Harbor, opened in 2022. (Photo courtesy of HudsonRiverPark.org)
This is the southwestern tip of Manhattan. The Hudson River Park offers breathtaking panoramic views. (Photo courtesy of HudsonRiverPark.org)
Interesting and beautiful specimens are all over Hudson River Park. This is a portion of the Greenwich Village Esplanade planted with Zelcova trees, a hardwood tree in the elm family. (Photo courtesy of HudsonRiverPark.org)
This is the eastern end of Pier 45 in Greenwich Village, an 850-foot-long pier that offers shade structures and seating areas. (Photo courtesy of HudsonRiverPark.org)
The Hudson River Greenway is one of the busiest bike paths in the United States. It runs the entire length of Hudson River Park from Battery Place at the southern tip of Manhattan to midtown. (Photo courtesy of HudsonRiverPark.org)
Millenium Garden, located at Charles Street, is the home of The Apple, designed by Stephen Weiss, the late husband of world-renowned fashion designer, Donna Karan. (Photo courtesy of HudsonRiverPark.org)
And this is the new Pier 26 Science Playground which features custom-made play structures in the shape of two endangered sturgeon species native to the Hudson River — the Atlantic sturgeon and shortnose sturgeon. (Photo courtesy of HudsonRiverPark.org)
Inside each of the structures, children can explore and learn about fish “anatomy” and other local wildlife that live in the Hudson River Park’s 400-acre Estuarine Sanctuary. (Photo courtesy of HudsonRiverPark.org)
Designed by OLIN, the award-winning landscape design firm, this new playground offers children an educational and recreational space. (Photo courtesy of HudsonRiverPark.org)
Earlier this month, Hudson River Park Friends held an an important fundraising event to support the newest children’s space, the Park’s fifth playground at Pier 97. (Photo by Edith Ann Claudio)
300-guests attended the 8th Annual Playground Committee Luncheon at Current, a 6,000-square-foot venue at Chelsea Piers. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)
Meteorologist and TODAY Show host, Dylan Dreyer, welcomes guests to the event and talks about how much she and her young children have enjoyed the Park and all it has to offer – the sports fields and courts, the hands-on learning experiences at field trips and summer camps, and the free programs that are offered year-round. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
TODAY Show host, Hoda Kotb, shares her love of the Park and talks about her journey to motherhood. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Guests raise their glasses in support of the Park and to celebrate all it has become for New York City residents and visitors. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
Entrepreneur Maria Maria Duenas Jacobs and Hoda are both honored at this year’s event. (Photo by Edith Ann Claudio)
The luncheon menu included burrata and heirloom beet carpaccio, Branzino Provencal, and a variety of tarts for dessert. (Photo by Edith Ann Claudio)
Dylan and Maria hold up stars, which were used for the event’s LIVE auction. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)
The Park’s Playground Committee made a call to action to increase its membership by 100-members. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
I encourage you to visit the next time you’re in the area – you will see why Hudson River Park is so special. (Photo courtesy of HudsonRiverPark.org)
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