I love Hellebores and have them spread throughout my garden. If you grow them, then you know they only have one downside — and down it is. Their lovely flowers face downwards meaning it is almost impossible to see them without bending over yourself or turning the flowers upward with your hand. Somehow I've managed to plant two summer flowers that do the same thing.
This is Deinanthe caerula which I've been growing about ten years. It is a small clump former that is almost shrubby. And yes, it's caged because it is rabbit candy.
It is sometimes called "False Hydrangea". You can see where it got that name: from its large rugose leaves that look very like those of a Hydrangea.
The pale, waxy lilac blue flowers are exquisite.
Alas, without lifting them upward they don't look like much and are easy to ignore. This was blooming around July 20th.
My other downward summer bloomer is Anemonopsis macrophylla, a Japanese aristocrat of the woodland. Its foliage was describe in the catalog as "cimicifuga-like," but I think it looks more like Astrantia.
This also has rather waxy blooms but even more pale colored than the Deinanthe.
When you see the inside of the bloom is really looks waxy; almost to the point of looking artificial. We've had a little over two inches of rain since early Sunday and this flower is showing the effect of getting pounded by the weather.
