I was just outside and noticed that my Hellebores appears to have been munched. Several leaf stems are broken off and lying on the ground and it appears that something stepped right in the middle of the plant.



Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

I don't think they bother hellebores. A lot of folks cut down the old leaves in March anyway to make the flowers stand out.

Thanks Ward.
Yes I usually cut mine down too. I have just never seen leaves off the plant before.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Well we are having a 'warming trend' for a day or two so naturally I had to check out the beds and nearly all the leafy stems of my hellebores have now been chomped off. I looked at the stems and they are all cut at an angle like someone actually cut them. Well since the new growth is beginning to come up I decided to go ahead and cut the remaining old leaves and stems off. I may have to put a wire cage of sorts over the new growth to keep it from being browsed.

While I was doing that I decide to chip the ice out of the bird bath and give the birds some fresh water. My inquisitive little squirrel buddy just couldn't stand it. He had to come over to see what I was doing. At first he stood on his hind haunches about 2ft. away and decided he couldn't see well enough so he climbed up on the little picket fence that is up against the back side of the bird bath and then onto one of the shrub branches overlooking the bird bath while I chipped off the ice and refilled it with fresh water. I could have reached over and touched him he was so close. Earlier he stood in the middle of the driveway tantalizing the dog who couldn't get to him because of the fence. Nature is just so wonderful!

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

I just noticed that the snapdragon that overwinters in the ground every year in the bed on the east side of the house next to the driveway has also had its stems munched/cut off at at angle like the hellebores. There are a few stems on the ground in front of the plant but the rest are gone. It must be a deer as there is an 18 inch high border in front of the plants to keep stems upright that are prone to falling over when in bloom.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39