Little Prince of Oregon Nursery buys Winter Jewels Hellebores brand from Northwest Garden Nursery

Little Prince of Oregon Nursery, in Aurora, Oregon, has purchased the Winter Jewels Hellebores brand from Northwest Garden Nursery, near Eugene, Oregon.

Little Prince is carrying on the legacy of Ernie and Marietta O’Byrne, who have been growing, selecting and improving the line of seed-grown Hellebore hybrids for more than 30 years at Northwest Garden Nursery.

The collection includes 23 hybrids, with Little Prince continuing to select and strengthen the unique traits of each, as well as planning to introduce new varieties, with continued guidance from the O'Byrnes.

“Little Prince of Oregon Nursery is honored that Ernie and Marietta deem us worthy to carry on the legacy of the Winter Jewels Hellebores,” says Mark Leichty, director of business development at Little Prince of Oregon.  “We recognize that their diligent and patient work over many decades has created the most beautiful and desirable Hellebore hybrids found anywhere in horticulture. We plan to enlarge the program through careful selection and evaluation, providing even more improved varieties for Hellebore enthusiasts.”

© Little Prince of Oregon Nursery | littleprinceplants.com

Winter Jewels Hellebores are seed-grown and feature upright stems with gently nodding flowers (to ensure a long-lasting, colorful display and to protect the integrity of the breeding line); interesting coloration on the backs of tepals for enjoyment from all angles; double flowers with evenly spaced tepals that look beautiful from above; fine foliage that complements rather than overwhelms the flowers; and deep, saturated and even color in flowers.

"We are so excited because we are convinced that they will continue, and even improve, the quality that we have worked so hard to achieve in over 30 years of working with Helleborus × hybridus,” said Ernie and Marietta O’Byrne. “They are the first nursery that we have worked with that truly understands the dedication to meticulous detail that it took and will take going forward to preserve and improve the legacy breeding program that we have developed.”

© Little Prince of Oregon Nursery | littleprinceplants.com

Those interested in growing Winter Jewels can pre-order liners for the 2024-2026 growing seasons now for guaranteed availability. Pricing is the same for each variety, with one variety per 72-cell tray.

For more information about purchasing liners from Little Prince, visit littleprinceplants.com/plugs-and-liners. Garden centers seeking Winter Jewels Hellebores or other finished plants can visit littleprinceplants.com/landing-page-garden-centers.

“I have been using Hellebores in my gardens that I have designed for over 35 years. The Winter Jewels strain is hands down the best variety in the marketplace," says landscape craftsman Jerry Fritz. "Their colors are unmatched to any others that I have seen. They also are the most vigorous and longest blooming Hellebores that I have used."

Little Prince also offers grower-ready young plants for shipping across the United States and Canada, with a special focus on unusual, rare and hard-to-find houseplants, perennials and natives.

“When it comes to quality plants, the first grower I think about is Little Prince. When it comes to unique selections, the first grower I think about is Little Prince," says Chelsea Ginn, perennials buyer for West Seattle Nursery. "Not only have they provided us with quality stock for the many years we’ve been in business, their customer service and support goes far above and beyond what I’ve learned to expect from vendors. I can’t wait to see how Little Prince does Winter Jewels Hellebores!”