How to make Christmas rose plant bloom more beautiful flowers from now until spring

Richard Barker, a horticultural expert from LBS Horticulture, spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk about Christmas rose plants. "A Christmas rose is different to other roses as it is not actually a true rose and is instead a member of the Hellebore family," he revealed. "It produces flowers that are usually white or pink, compared to true roses that can produce flowers in a wider variety of colours and only tend to bloom in warmer weather."

A Christmas rose also has "dark green leaves"; these gorgeous plants are readily available to buy from November in plant nurseries and garden centres. "Even though you may think Christmas rose is an indoor plant, it should actually only be kept indoors for no longer than a week before being planted outside," Richard shared.

"It can be planted in a container or the ground outdoors, but it will need dappled shade, slightly alkaline soil and does not like to be too dry or waterlogged."

Richard advised: "When planting, position the Christmas rose at the same depth that it was in its container, and place a layer of mulch around the soil to prevent it from drying out too much.

"If you have planted your Christmas rose in a container, it should only be left there as part of a winter display before being transplanted into the ground in spring."

Newly planted Christmas rose will need to be watered regularly in its first growing season, Richard added.

"For abundant blooms, try to focus on giving the plant its required growing conditions and place it in a spot where it will be sheltered from strong winds," said Richard.

"During the flowering period, normally between November and February, ensure that you are watering the plant regularly.

"After planting, it is best to leave the plant undisturbed once it becomes established, as you may find that it produces a better display each year as it matures."

Richard added: "When given the right conditions, a Christmas rose can bloom for several months, usually from the festive period through to early spring."