Christmas Rose

Found in the walled garden at Castle Howard, this was one of a number of flowers that brightened up the garden in winter.

Christmas rose is an evergreen perennial flowering plant in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. It's binomical name is Helleborus niger.

Helleborus niger is commonly called the Christmas rose due to an old legend that it sprouted in the snow from the tears of a young girl who had no gift to give the Christ child in Bethlehem.

Ian

[Kim Crisp]

Looks good on black. Such delicate petals and lovely water droplets.

[Casablanca]

Wow, the petals are almost see through under the weight of the moisture. Gorgeous.

[gloria jones]

Terrific shot of the transparent petals and droplets...looks great on black

[Claude Trew]

Beautiful transparent, full of texture flower. The rain drops finish it perfectly.

[Gillian Brown]

Beautiful.

[Judith Johnson]

Oh so beautiful! Fav!

[Pyrrhula]

Great close up of this beautiful flower.

[Lynne Hart]

Beautiful.

[Babs]

Excellent detail, what a beautiful shot. Love the transparent petals.

[bruni]

Love your explanation of how the name Christmas Rose originated. it's a lovely flower, so seethrough and heavy looking with the raindrops. fav.

[Taffy]

What delicate petals - beautiful flower with pretty yellow tones.

[KWind]

So pretty. I love the petals.

[Beth]

Beautiful. The petals are almost transparent. I love the water drops.

[Sandy]

Very beautiful flower and capture of it. I had never heard of a Christmas rose.

[Tony]

Love the detail in this capture, the translucent petals and the water drops are perfectly captured. Fav

[Dione Giorgio]

Excellent capture and a really gorgeous image. Love the quasi transparent petals and the water drops.

[Camille Bisson]

Beautiful image and thank you for the explanation.

[Fisher Family]

@kimcrisp @casablanca @seattlite @claudiet @gillian1912 @busylady @pyrrhula @lhart @onewing @bruni @taffy @kwind @vernabeth @skstein @tonydebont @sangwann @catsmeowb

Thank you all for your generous comments and favs, which put this shot on the Trending and Popular pages.

I am intrigued with another of the names of this flower - black hellebore - since it is neither black nor a hellebore!

Ian