I'd appreciate the thoughts of anyone who's grown the three I know about: Walberton's Rosemary ('Walhero') from David Tristram, 'Snow White' from Japan (aka 'Snow Bunting' - but not the 'Snow Bunting' sold by Heronswood), and the French plant known as H. x lemmonierae.

And of course if anyone knows of any others - I'd be most interested.

Finally, does anyone have any thoughts on why it's so difficult to cross these two species?

Many thanks,

Graham Rice

BTW I posted about Walberton's Rosemary ('Walhero') here:
http://transatlanticplantsman.typepad.com/transatlantic_plantsman/2009/03/hybrid-hellebore-on-trial.html

And frankly, I am very flattered that someone of your reputation and experience with hellebores would look to us amateur/hobby gardeners here on GW for thoughts on why niger and x hybridus are so difficult to cross! I doubt any of us could tell you anything you don't already know :-) I am not a hybridizer by any stretch of the imagination - just an avid grower that reads alot - but it appears that neither of these plants lends itself to crossing with other species/hybrids. I've often wondered about this, as it seems most other species of hellebores cross quite easily.

The odd thing is that H. niger seems to cross fairly easily with the superficially very different H. argutifolius, H. lividus and their hybrid H. x sternii - but is much more reluctant to hybridise with other species.

Anyone grown the 'Snow White' listed by Plant Delights?