Hellebore

Inspired by berelaxed's lovely image and poem from yesterday, I decided to go in search of my own Hellebores, and was delighted to discover them in full bloom.  They are such beautiful flowers, with their endearing freckled petals and their intricate anthers and stigmas.  I just wish they wouldn't be quite so shy and retiring, always bowing their showy heads down towards the ground, and staring at their feet, necessitating some rather peculiar contortions on the part of the photographer!