The Christmas Rose
"Several legends surround the hellebore; in witchcraft it is believed to have ties to summoning demons.
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.
In Greek mythology, Melampus of Pylos used hellebore to save the daughters of the king of Argos from a madness, induced by Dionysus, that caused them to run naked through the city, crying, weeping, and screaming.
During the Siege of Kirrha in 585 BC, hellebore was reportedly used by the Greek besiegers to poison the city's water supply. The defenders were subsequently so weakened that they were unable to defend the city from assault.
An overdose of medication containing hellebore has been suggested as a possible cause of the death of Alexander the Great."
Wikipedia
Our hellebores are magnificent this year; I've never seen so many flower buds, and they're out in bloom in perfect time for Christmas!
A day of unpacking, sorting, tidying, supermarket shopping, and wrestling with the Christmas tree lights which worked while they were on the floor, then refused to work once I'd put them on the tree!
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