Hellebore is Blooming

Hellebore niger, also called Christmas rose, is blooming now. I much prefer niger to the usual Hellebore orientalis, which blooms later. The "Christmas rose" can be found at my food co-op in December, but in the spring i can't find it anywhere.

The niger blossoms face out as opposed to the facing-down flowers of orientalis. Perhaps orientalis is shy? Perhaps it doesn't want to look me straight in the eye?

When we gaze into someone's eyes for several seconds, we receive a burst of oxytocin--the bonding hormone. As a result, we feel warm and friendly and maybe even love for the other.

Try gazing at a dear one for a few seconds longer than usual. Or be really daring and gaze at someone you don't know very well. How does that feel?

When Hellebore niger blooms so early in the sprint, it's a sight for sore eyes.

Hellebore orientalis

Giant Hellebores

At the Lindisfarne Gospel Garden on Holy Island, way up in the northeast corner of England, the hellebores were gigantic.

So this is what hellebores can look like when they are in a perfect climate--cool and damp and just barely freezing in winter.

Our meditation practice can bloom profusely when we get serious about our personal meditation climate. Yes, "cool and damp" may sound unattractive to our friends, but we know that cooling down the demands of the world and damping down our social media time can be its own reward.

In fact, there's a new acronym now: JOMO--the Joy Of Missing Out. Missing out on the ups and downs of the lives of our acquaintances; missing out on the daily news; missing out on social media--all this missing out gives us time and space and heart to practice joy.

And feel the wonder of giant hellebores.

Hellebore Niger

Hellebore niger

I went grocery shopping at the food coop today and found a plant i've been looking for for 3 years! Hellebore niger. Also called Christmas Rose.

By this time, we all have lots of Hellebore in our shade gardens. Lots of Hellebore orientalis. Mine has even started to self-seed.

The thing i like about niger is that it looks straight at you. Orientalis hangs its head, and it's hard to really see it. But it does come in many shades of white through pinks all the way to burgundy.

Hellebore orientalis

Niger also blooms earlier, first thing in the spring, and is a welcome sight with its white flowers competing with the crocus (and winning!)

The next time you express gratitude to someone, try looking them straight in the eye. The neuroscientists tell us this eye contact releases oxytocin, a bonding hormone.

Yes, it's much easier to mumble "Thanks" and look down at the floor or anywhere else but directly into someone else's eyes. Eye-to-eye contact is so intimate. It's the direct route to our heart.

I'm going to go look my new Hellebore niger in the eye and express my deep appreciation to it.

Photo from freshbynorthwest.com

Content with Hellebore

Hellebore orientalis

While many gardeners love hellebore (orientalis), my favorite hellebore is niger. Hellebore orientalis is also called Lenten Rose, but that must be someone else's Lent because it doesn't bloom here until weeks after Lent.

Hellebore niger is called Christmas Rose and blooms earlier than orientalis. Hellebore niger is hard to find at the nursery, so i have to be content with my single clump.

Contentment is a form of wishlessness, not longing for things to be different.

Hellebore niger

I say i have to be content with my single clump, but underneath, i am longing for more, more, more Hellebore niger. That is not contentment.

Contentment sees Hellebore niger and loves what is, whether or not there is ever any more, more, more.