Product Description
Helleborus 'First Dance' - WEDDING PARTY Series (20)ct Flat
Lenten Rose
Height: 18-24 Inches, Spread: 24 Inches
Flower Color: Yellow shades, Foliage Color: Green shades, Evergreen (in some or all zones)
Hardiness Zone: 4 - 9
Part shade to Full shade
Blooms Early Spring - Mid-spring
Helleborus ‘First Dance’ bears 2-2.5' double flowers that range from bright yellow to yellow with a maroon picotee edge and veining. Deer and Rabbit resistant.
Helleborus 'First Dance' is a beautiful and unique Lenten Rose that is part of the Wedding Party series. This variety was developed by Hans Hansen of Walters Gardens, Inc. It is an outstanding landscape plant and a shade-loving perennial that blooms in late winter to early spring, with large, double yellow flowers that have a maroon picotee edge and veining. The flowers are 2-2.5 inches in diameter and are borne on sturdy stems that rise above the glossy, dark green, evergreen foliage. Helleborus 'First Dance' provides year-round interest and is ideal to brighten areas of dappled shade under deciduous trees and shrubs.
Helleborus 'First Dance' grows in a bushy, upright clump, up to 18-24 inches tall and 24 inches wide. The flowers are large and showy, with double blooms that are borne in terminal clusters. Each pale petal is lined with a thin edge of maroon blush. The 2.5-inch flowers look charming in vases and bouquets. The foliage is palm-like and evergreen. Helleborus 'First Dance' is a slow-growing perennial. It blooms for up to 6 weeks in late winter or early spring. This plant is deer and rabbit resistant.
Care Requirements Helleborus 'First Dance' can adapt to almost any growing condition. Though it prefers rich, moist, organic soil, it will also grow in sandy or clay soil and can even tolerate short periods of drought.
- Sunlight This plant performs best in partial shade to full shade. When planting under deciduous trees, ensure that it receives full sun from winter to spring before the trees get their leaves.
- Soil Helleborus 'First Dance' prefers fertile, humus-rich, moist, neutral to alkaline, well-drained soils. Avoid soils prone to drying out or staying wet.
- Watering Water needs are average.
- Pruning Prune back old foliage to make room for new growth in early spring.
- Other Care Select a sheltered site to protect your hellebores from cold winter winds. Helleborus 'First Dance' likes to naturalize in shady woodland settings. Helleborus needs to be mature to achieve consistent flowering. Expect only 10-15% to flower the following season after planting. After the second season, more consistent flowering will appear.
- Hardiness Zones Helleborus 'First Dance' is hardy in zones 4-9.
Benefits Hellebore flowers provide valuable nectar for early pollinators.
Landscaping Ideas Helleborus 'First Dance' is well-suited for:
- Shady borders
- Woodland gardens
- Underplanting trees and shrubs
- Containers
- Slope stabilization
- Border definition
Toxicity Hellebores are toxic to humans and animals if ingested. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling.
Companion Plant Name Common Name
- Athyrium niponicum var. pictum Painted Lady Fern
- Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance' Autumn Fern
- Carex oshimensis 'Evergold' Japanese Sedge
- Dicentra spectabilis 'White Gold' Bleeding Heart
- Ajuga 'Black Scallop' Bugleweed
- Dicentra 'Pink Diamonds' Bleeding Heart
- Heuchera 'Berry Timeless' Coral Bells
- Tiarella 'Cutting Edge' Foamflower
- Galanthus nivalis Snowdrops
- Crocus Crocus
- Muscari Grape Hyacinth
- Narcissus Daffodils
- Phlox Phlox
- Trillium Trillium
- Arum Arum
- Iris Mini Iris
- Phlox divaricata Woodland Phlox
- Muscari Grape Hyacinth
- Scilla Scilla
- Astilbe Astilbe
- Phlox subulata Creeping Phlox
- Epimedium Barrenwort
- Ferns Ferns
Helleborus 'First Dance' is a standout variety of Lenten Rose that offers exceptional beauty and adaptability. Its charming double yellow flowers with maroon picotee edges bloom for an extended period in late winter or early spring, adding a vibrant touch to the garden when most other plants are still dormant. This low-maintenance perennial thrives in a variety of conditions and is well-suited for shady borders, woodland gardens, underplanting, and container gardening. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, Helleborus 'First Dance' is a rewarding choice that will bring lasting enjoyment to your outdoor space.
Other Details
The most important part of the plant is its root system. Healthy roots are the foundation of a healthy, vibrant plant. The type of plug container used is based on the specific needs of the plants. Perennials offered as bare root traditionally perform better when planted as bare root.Planted in a specialized mix, potted plants have well established root systems. Top growth stage will vary depending on the current life cycle and time of year when shipped. In Winter and early Spring dormant plants may be shipped. Dormant plants may be planted right away, even before the last frost date.
Most bare root varieties are field grown for at least one season, though Hemerocallis and Hosta are grown for two seasons. The bulk of the soil is removed during the harvesting process and the tops of most varieties are trimmed back to the crown. They are graded, packed in shredded aspen or sphagnum moss and stored in freezers until ready to be shipped.
See our Container Sizes and Bare Root Perennials pages for more information.
Plant information and care is provided in the Overview section, Plant Genus Page and general information is provided in the Planting Care & Guides. Additional questions can be asked on each Plant page.
Plant Spacing: Using the maximum mature spread or width of a plant to guide spacing, ensures space to grow to full size. To fill an area sooner, plant them closer together. Just remember, future thinning or transplanting may be needed.
Water: Keep a close eye on newly planted perennials, especially throughout the first growing year. Most early plant loss is due to too much or too little water!
