Hellebore

These hellebore seed heads have been drying out for the last week or so and are now quite crisp, and shedding their seeds. There's no real need to save seed as they pop up prolifically all over the garden, although it takes some years for them to flower, mostly revealing rather unexcitingly dull shades of pinky cream, so by and large it's easier and quicker to just buy plants of the colour you want.

I've kept these to see how they change as they dry out. The seed pods are contorting into lovely ridged curls once they've split open and I like the papery texture that is developing. 

Last night it rained reasonably heavily for an hour or two, thank goodness. I hope we get more soon as it's reached the stage where the crops need rain more than I think we need the fine weather.