On the feast of St. Catherine of Siena

Today it is the feast of my patron saint, St. Catherine of Siena. I greet her with these photos. And as her heavenly birthday is celebrated not only here, but over there as well, it is particularly worth to ask today for her intercession in our issues and troubles.

Blessed and happy Easter!

And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalen and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought sweet spices, that coming, they might anoint Jesus. And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they come to the sepulchre, the sun being now risen. And they said one to another: Who shall roll us back the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And looking, they saw the stone rolled back. For it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed with a white robe: and they were astonished. Who saith to them: Be not affrighted. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen: he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee. There you shall see him, as he told you. (Mk 16:1-7)

Helleborus orientalis

One of the earliest flowers, it has been blossoming for at least ten days in the warmer part of the garden. I think it is beautiful, and  it is absolutely not difficult to keep it.

It originally grows in Northern Greece, Northern and North-Eastern Turkey as well as in the Caucasus. Probably in the mountains, as it is extremely cold-tolerant (Z4-9). In places with mild winters it is evergreen. At us it also maintains its leaves, but in the spring, when the new leaves come, the old ones dry out badly. Then I usually cut them.

When fully mature, it is 30-40 cms high. Overt the years it forms a large bush. In smaller places it can be used as a ground cover. If you do not cut it for dried flowers as I usually do, then it abundantly reproduces from seed. It is a semi-shade or shade flower which likes to be watered, but it also lives in a dry place. In Hungary you can buy it in Hegede and Mocsáry nurseries. You can find further interesting information and pictures on it at the site of the Missouri Botanical Garden.