soil for potting up self sown hellebores?

I've got a lot of seedling popping up under some of my favorite hellebores. I thought I'd pot some up and see what happens. I know they won't be the same but I'm curious. My question is: What kind of potting soil should i use for best growth. I looked on a hellebore website and it said to use John Innes #1 but I live in the US! It looks like this mix has actual soil in it. Ive always hear that this is a no-no. It also said that the same potting mix that is used for roses would be appropriate. Does anyone have any advice on the right mix to use to get these babies to grow up fast and strong? Thanks!
oh, I posted here because you guys seem to mention hellebores the most out of all the forums ;)

LOL...that's because they're pretty deer tolerant, & eastern gardeners have deer problems.....they won't eat the hellebores, but they snip off the leaves & leave them.....I just found 3 snipped hellebore leaves by my front door....I've never potted up a hellebore, I've just planted them in my gardens right away......I know they like shade, & soil that is moist & has leaf mulch in it...good luck with your baby plants!

here is a link to some good discussion about hellebore soil

http://www.northwestgardennursery.com/culture.html

Robindog, Thanks, now I know my resident deer did eat a bunch of hellebore's a few years back. Fortunately they all recovered and regrew and unfortunately the deer that ate them must have survived too as we found no body. I do like you do and just plant any that I see popping up in different spots in the garden. I can't get enough of them after seeing a stunning display of them in Tulsa Okla at the Philbrook Museum of Art in 2007. I find that the hybrids don't bloom the same as the parent plant, but who cares, as they are all beautiful.

Wonderearth, Best of luck with your seedlings.

Here are some shots taken last year but also including some of the Hellebore foetidus which are blooming now. We are going to have a nice display this year as many have a nice bud set already. Patti

What a gorgeous display, Patti! I'm not sure if my 2 newest will bloom this year....both are yellow with differing amounts of red......I love my almost black one & hope it will stand out more in the shade now that it has a yellow neighbor......

I have the same problem with my dark hellebores. I'm the only ons who notices the flowers! Cause Im looking. I'm planting some variegated lamium around them to see if it will make them pop.

I cut the leaves back. It doesn't seem to matter and then you can see the dark flowers easier. Learned that when the deer munched on ours. In fact I think they throw up new leaves later in the spring which seems to make the plants better for the summer. May be a dumb idea, but works for us. I just cut back a mess of leaves on a few yesterday as I could see the new buds and the leaves that I cut off were last years and ratty. Patti

I do cut off the ratty leaves as well......the lamium should work as well......

I cut my ratty leaves off in spring after the snow is gone, just in case they need some protection. Probably not necessary. I ordered an early blooming h. niger, something Lemperer for spring to extend the bloom season. They're addictive.

Lets pretend my foetidus looks like Patti's. It did until the snow banks covered it all up!

Mine are all covered as well.......plus the one closest to the house has had many leaves nipped off by the deer......