Helleborus x hybridus ‘Blue Lady’ – A seed-grown strain (which is true to colour 90% of the time) with variable single blooms of greyish-lavender to deep purplish-blue, often with some red highlights. These are nicely contrasted by golden stamens and are held on stalks averaging 16″ high. ‘Blue Lady’ was developed in Germany and is hardy to zone 4.

Helleborus x hybridus ‘Golden Sunrise’ – A truly spectacular mixed strain of single Hellebores with large (2-3″ wide) blooms ranging from pale yellow to deep canary. These may be clear, lightly spotted, streaked or edged in burgundy-red. ‘Golden Sunrise’ blooms for about six weeks, starting in late winter. Grows 18″ tall and is hardy to zone 4.

Helleborus x hybridus ‘Peppermint Ice’ – A double-flowered beauty from the Winter Jewels Series with 3″ wide pink flowers with a dark rose picotee. ‘Peppermint Ice’ has good vigour and may vary from pale cherry blossom tones to mid-pink, often with pronounced veining. This strain blooms from late winter into early spring and grows to 18″ high. Zone 4 hardy.

Helleborus x hybridus ‘Pink Lady’ – This seed strain was developed by Gisela Schmiemann of Germany and bears 2-3″ wide blooms. The single flowers may vary from soft pink to two-tone, or even a deep rose pink. ‘Pink Lady’ generally blooms from March to May in the garden and grows to heights of 18″. Hardy to zone 4.

Helleborus x nigercors ‘Honeyhill Joy’ – A tissue-cultured niger x argutifolius hybrid with great vigour and unusual greenish-blue foliage that is evergreen. The creamy-white blooms (emerging from greenish buds) are abundant and outward-facing, with flower stalks rising as they open. ‘Honeyhill Joy’ grows to heights of 18″ and is hardy to zone 6.

Helleborus x ericsmithii ‘Winter Moonbeam’ – A striking cultivar with beautifully marbled evergreen foliage of dark green with contrasting silver veining. The creamy-white flowers are held on red stems and contrasted by yellow stamens. These eventually fade to pink, and then a bronze-red colour. ‘Winter Moonbeam’ blooms from February to April and is zone 6 hardy.

Helleborus x ballardiae ‘Cinnamon Snow’ – This cultivar is part of the HGC or Helleborus Gold Collection. It features large creamy-white blooms (3-3.5″ across), that fade with faint cinnamon-pink highlights (reverse is a cinnamon-rose colour). The glossy deep green foliage is also held on red stems. ‘Cinnamon Snow’ grows 15-18″ tall and is zone 5 hardy.

Helleborus x nigercors ‘Winter’s Ghost’ (syn. ‘Spring Breeze’) – A H. niger x H. argutifolius cross that is part of the HGC Helleborus Gold Collection. The outward facing creamy-white flowers (with a hint of green) are held on sturdy stems and emerge from dusky-pink buds. ‘Winter’s Ghost’ also has unusual foliage with a distinct silvery cast. Grows 18″ high and hardy to zone 5.

Helleborus x hybridus ‘Ruby Wine’ -  A newer colour strain with large single blooms of a rich burgundy-red, with some colour variation and contrasting yellow stamens. These are in flower from late winter through to early spring and were bred by Marietta O’Byrne of Oregon. ‘Ruby Wine’ grows to 14″ high, is part of the Winter Jewels Series and hardy to zone 4.

Helleborus x hybridus ‘Golden Lotus’ – A delightful and much sought after double Hellebore strain which is also part of the Winter Jewels Series. Buy these variable plants in bloom, as the flower colour can range from clear yellow, to yellow with an apricot blush or a reddish-purple picotee. The large blooms (2-3.5″ wide) reach heights of 12-14″ and the plant is hardy to zone 5.

Helleborus x hybridus ‘Red Lady’ – A deer-resistant seed strain with variable single blooms ranging from reddish-pink to burgundy red, with contrasting golden-yellow stamens. These plants generally have good vigour with foliage that remains evergreen through mild winters. ‘Red Lady’ grows to 18″ high and is hardy to zone 4-5.

Helleborus x hybridus ‘Jade Tiger’ – Green flowers aren’t for everyone but this strain of fully double blooms is pretty hard to resist. The flowers vary from yellowish-green to lime, finely edged in reddish-purple and some streaking on the reverse. ‘Jade Tiger’ is also part of the Winter Jewels Series bred by Marietta O’Byrne. It grows 12-14″ high and is hardy to zone 5.

Helleborus x ballardiae ‘Pink Frost’ – A pink companion to ‘Ivory Prince’ which bears rosy buds that open to pale pink flowers, which fade to a gorgeous burgundy-red. These are nicely contrasted by evergreen foliage with some silver highlights. This heavy bloomer flowers from January to March and grows up to 15″ high. ‘Pink Frost’ is part of the HGC collection and is hardy to zone 5.

Helleborus ‘Ivory Prince’ (syn. ‘Walhelivor’) – A vigorous cultivar with ivory-green flowers that eventually fade with rose highlights. It has an upright habit with outward facing blooms and is also sterile, so self-seeding won’t be a problem. ‘Ivory Prince’ blooms from January to April and features compact bluish-green foliage. Grows 12-18″ high and is hardy to zone 4.

Helleborus x ericsmithii ‘Winter Sunshine’ – This niger x sternii cross tolerates more sun than most Hellebores with upright flowers that emerge white (with a pink reverse). The outward facing blooms fade with rich pink tones, with the flower season usually beginning in February. ‘Winter Sunshine’ grows 18-22″ high and is hardy to zone 4.

Helleborus niger ‘Jacob’ – This improved Christmas Rose is part of the HGC or Helleborus Gold Collection. It features early blooming (late November to February) single white flowers that are slightly fragrant and fade to green as they age. These are held over attractive deep green leathery foliage which prefers good air circulation. Grows 12 to 14″ tall and is hardy to zone 4.

Helleborus x hybridus ‘Harlequin Gem’ – This beauty is part of the Winter Jewels Series bred by Marietta O’Byrne of Oregon. It is a fully double-flowered strain with variable blooms of greenish-white to creamy-yellow with darker edges of maroon or purplish-black, with flowers that are slightly pendulous. ‘Harlequin Gem’ grows to 18″ high and is hardy to zone 5.

Helleborus x hybridus ‘Black Diamond’ – Another of the Winter Jewels Series, this strain features deep purple to near black single blooms (2 to 2.5″ across) beautifully contrasted by pale yellow stamens. The new foliage also emerges with dark highlights and like most Lenten Roses, it blooms from late winter into early spring. Grows 15-18″ high and is hardy to zone 5.

Helleborus x hybridus ‘Winter Jewels Painted’ -  A single-flowered strain of Lenten Rose featuring white to slightly green tinted 3″ wide blooms with prominent  streaks, dots or splashes of burgundy-red  that add much needed contrast. This deer-resistant perennial prefers part sun and grows 18 to 22″ high. Hardy to zone 5.

Helleborus x hybridus ‘Onyx Odyssey’ – This is probably one of the best darker coloured strains with fully double blooms of deep plum, slate purple to near black that tend to face downward. This member of the Winter Jewels Series blooms from late winter into early spring and also features darker tinted new growth. ‘Onyx Odyssey’ grows to 18″ tall and is hardy to zone 5.

Hamamelis vernalis ‘Lombart’s Weeping’ – This Ozark witch hazel is a rare find with a weeping habit that forms a pendulous mound about 5-6′ high and 8-10′ wide. It bears fragrant orange-red blooms that are a bit small but also quite abundant – flowering from January to March. ‘Lombart’s Weeping’ also features clear yellow autumn tones and is hardy to zone 4.

Hamamelis mollis ‘Gold Edge’ – Witch hazels can be rather boring specimens in summer, but this variegated Chinese form features sage green foliage that is thinly edged in creamy-white. The intermediate sized bright yellow blooms are quite fragrant and borne from February to March.  ‘Gold Edge’ grows 8-12′ tall and is hardy to zone 6.

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Old Copper’ – This German selection of hybrid witch hazel bears unusual coppery-red blooms that upon close inspection are red with deep orange tips. These are have little or no scent and are borne from February to March over reddish-purple calyx cups. ‘Old Copper’ grows to heights of 12′ and is hardy to zone 5.

Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Pallida’ – This cross between H. japonica and H. mollis bears unusual sulfur-yellow blooms, contrasted by reddish-purple calyx cups. The fragrant flowers usually appear sometime from January to March and are preceded by clear yellow autumn foliage tones. ‘Pallida’ grows to an average of 9-12′ high and is hardy to zone 5.

Callistemon polandii – The Gold-Tipped Bottlebrush is an evergreen shrub which grows 6-15′ high and 3-9′ wide, preferring part to full sun. It is native to Queensland and is found in evenly moist soils, to the point of tolerating slightly boggy conditions. It bears attractive red bottlebrush blooms tipped in gold and has an open habit which can be controlled or groomed with pruning.

Aganthis microstachya -The Bull Kauri is a distant relative of ancient conifers which were common in the Mesozoic era and is quite a rare tree – with its habitat restricted to the Atherton Tableland forests in Queensland. It bears glossy green leaflets that more closely resemble broadleaf evergreens than conifers, and has both male and female cones. Ultimate height is 120′ or more.

Elaeocarpus angustifolius (syn. E. grandis) – Known as the Blue Quandong, Blue Fig or Blue Marble Tree – this species bears metallic blue fruit that is eaten by Spectacled Flying Foxes and Cassowaries. It is a rainforest species that grows to 60′ high and bears greenish-white bell-shaped flowers with fringed petals. The glossy green, lance-shaped leaves turn red before being shed.

Cyathea cooperi (syn. Sphaeroteris cooperi) – This species is known by many common names – including the Lacy Tree Fern, Cooper’s Tree Fern and the Australian Tree Fern. It is commonly used in tropical residential and commercial landscapes due to its versatility. It has a distinctly slender trunk, lacy bright green fronds and tolerates sun as long as it has even soil moisture.

Corymbia ficifolia (syn. Eucalyptus ficifolia) – The Red-Flowering Gum is a commonly planted street tree which is native to coastal Western Australia. It is a prolific bloomer with pink to reddish buds followed by brilliant orange to red flowers that attract birds such as the Rainbow Lorikeet. This evergreen tree grows 20 to 30′ tall and generally blooms around the Christmas season.

Cassia fistula – This native of India and Pakistan goes by many common names, including Indian Laburnum and Golden Shower Tree. Growing 30 to 60′ tall, this species produces large pendulous racemes of yellow flowers, followed by prominent sausage-like seedpods that are 1 to 2′ long. Indian Laburnum is a deciduous tree and has been used medicinally by indigenous peoples.

Brachychiton acerifolius (syn. B. acerifolium) – The Illawarra Flame Tree or Kurrajong is a native of subtropical east coast Australia and grows to an average height of 60′ high. It is a deciduous species that sheds its leaves after the dry season, with abundant red bell-shaped flowers often borne when the tree is leafless. The corn-like seeds are roasted and eaten by Aborigines.

Schefflera actinophylla (syn. Brassaia actinophylla) – The Octopus or Umbrella Tree is native to Queensland and the Northern Territory, as well as  New Guinea and Java. It is an evergreen species, growing to 50′ tall with compound foliage composed of  seven leaflets. It bears terminal racemes of red flowers (at maturity) and the fruits are eaten by Flying Foxes.

Gossypium sturtianum – The Desert Rose goes by many names including Cotton Rosebush, Darling River Rose and Australian Cotton. This drought tolerant shrub grows 3-5′ high and bears hibiscus-like blooms of pink, white or pale lilac, with a central red blotch. It is the floral emblem for the Northern territory and has an average lifespan of 10 years.

Grevillea eriostachya (syn. ‘Kaliny-Kalinypa’) – The Honey or Yellow Flame Grevillea is a shrub growing 5 to 7′ high with bottlebrush flowers that are generally borne with the rains. These emerge green but mature to a golden yellow, with nectar that is highly attractive to birds. The coarse needle-like foliage is greyish-green and is covered with fine hairs on the upper surface.

Ficus platypoda (syn. ‘Ili’) – The Desert or Rock Fig is a small tree (growing to 25′ tall) that is native to central and northern Australia, as well as Indonesia. The oval-shaped leaves are quite thick and waxy-looking. It bears small (about the size of a marble) orange to red edible fruits that the Aborigines used to preserve as dried fruit cakes. This species also develops multiple stems.

Allocasuarina decaisneana (syn. Casuarina decaisneana , ‘Kurkara’) – The Desert Oak is a fire-resistant species of tree whose juvenile form has a distinct thin columnar form. These slowly mature to single-stemmed small trees (30-45′ tall) with a spreading habit. The foliage is composed of green branchlets that much resemble pine needles.

Picea pungens ‘Fat Albert’ – This cultivar of Colorado Blue Spruce is often too expensive to be offered as a cut tree, so they are a little more common as balled & burlapped live specimens. Although it is a bit prickly to the touch, the steel-blue foliage is a fabulous contrast to almost any colour of garland or ornament. ‘Fat Albert’ in particular has a broad base, so there’s lots of room to decorate.

Abies nordmanniana – Nordmann Fir is somewhat similiar to Noble Fir in appearance, but it usually has slightly longer glossy green needles. This European species is a common Christmas tree there, but it is only recently available as a cut tree locally. You can expect strong branches that hold your ornaments well, foliage that is soft to the touch and needles that are not prone to dropping.

Abies procera – Noble Fir is the Cadillac of Christmas trees with its bluish-green (shown in foreground) to deep green needles and strong branches for hanging those heavy ornaments. Natural trees tend to have more pronounced gaps between the branch whorls, which is ideal for those who like to decorate throughout the tree. Noble Fir has light scent and does not shed its needles.

Abies grandis – Grand Fir is the most fragrant of all Christmas trees with its distinctive citrus scent, reminiscent of Mandarin orange. It is usually heavily sheared to promote density, which means that the hung ornaments tend to follow the contour. That said, the glossy deep green flat needles are a beautiful contrast for whatever you choose to put on the tree. This species does shed a few needles.