The day before Halloween, my dear friend MaryBeth, surprised me by showing up with an early Christmas present ~ that's what I call being on the ball. She knows how much I like to garden and how I dread the winter months so it was no surprise when I unwrapped the box, it contained the perfect gift:
Two "Red Lion" amaryllis bulbs, the soil and container to house it all:
Pretty sweet, huh? I love amaryllis bulbs and keep them from year to year very successfully. Some of my bulbs have been with me for 10+ years. Prior to receiving MaryBeth's gift, I had decided to add to my collection and purchased the two pictured on the tags below:
I've never grown either of these before so I'm looking forward to watching them bloom. Since the container that came with the gift was fairly large, I decided to plant all four bulbs together:
Here they all are tucked snugly into their new home. The elegant black pot that came with the gift did not have any drainage. Since I don't have much luck with pots like that (I guess I'm a little heavy handed with watering), the solution for me was to plant the bulbs in another container (with drainage) that would fit unobtrusively inside the black pot. or maybe not so unobtrusively... That's where the moss came into play. Thank you MaryBeth for the much appreciated, thoughtful early gift that we will most assuredly enjoy for the months & years to come.
What a lovely early Christmas present! That should help with your gardening fix over the winter months ahead. Look forward to seeing the pretty blooms!
Posted by: Racquel | November 05, 2008 at 10:08 AM
I always make a gift of an Amaryllis to my parents -- they're sure a bright spot at the right time. Those two new ones you just purchased are very different! I must look for them.
Posted by: Nancy Bond | November 05, 2008 at 10:12 AM
Amaryllis are very pretty and I like the picture of the new ones you acquired. I like the thought of early Christmas gifts... especially when they have to do with the garden.
I am in the process of dividing all my amaryllis and transplanting in more places in my garden. They will stay and bloom here right in the ground.
Posted by: meems | November 05, 2008 at 10:46 AM
They have a good looking snuggly bed! Kathleen..they do look good in their black pot...the contrast will be wonderful when they bloom.
Gail
Posted by: gail | November 05, 2008 at 03:05 PM
What a thoughtful gift. Gorgeous flowers too. I've never grown any before, but any flower inside during the winter would be most welcome in my home!
Posted by: Cinj | November 05, 2008 at 05:31 PM
What a great gift, can't wait to see them blooming! ;)
Posted by: Sherry Wright | November 05, 2008 at 06:08 PM
What a wonderful gift. :-) And you've chosen some interesting looking amaryllis, too. Have you seen "Butterfly?" I saw it in a recent catalog. Very unusual, too.
Posted by: Shady Gardener | November 05, 2008 at 06:26 PM
How pretty they will be all blooming together. I haven't seen any like 'Sumatra' or 'Night Star' so it will be very ineresting to see the different types of blooms.
Posted by: Beckie | November 05, 2008 at 09:15 PM
I just brought mine inside after they spent the summer outdoors. They won't bloom for Christmas. Maybe I'll buy another and get it potted.
Marnie
Posted by: Marnie | November 06, 2008 at 06:53 AM
I love amaryllis, but I have not had much luck with saving the bulbs...and they are so expensive I have been reluctant to buy more. One of these days maybe you could do a post on your technique for saving the bulbs - 10 years is very impressive!
Posted by: Alice | November 06, 2008 at 08:13 AM
They will definitely help me get thru the winter Racquel!! Thanks for your nice comment.
Posted by: Kathleen | November 06, 2008 at 12:21 PM
You are so lucky Meems to just plant them in the ground. What a foreign concept for us Northern Gardeners! I think I'm really liking early Christmas gifts too! :-)
Posted by: Kathleen | November 06, 2008 at 12:23 PM
That's a great gift Nancy. I'm sure they enjoy them like I do. I found these bulbs at my local nursery, if that helps.
Posted by: Kathleen | November 06, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Thank you Gail. By adding the two extra bulbs, I made it snuggly for sure!
Posted by: Kathleen | November 06, 2008 at 12:25 PM
I agree Cinj ~ anything flowering thru the winter months is a good thing. :-)
Posted by: Kathleen | November 06, 2008 at 12:25 PM
I will be sure and post some photos Sherry!
Posted by: Kathleen | November 06, 2008 at 12:26 PM
I have not seen "Butterfly" Shady Gardener but now you've piqued my interest so I'll have to look it up!!
Posted by: Kathleen | November 06, 2008 at 12:28 PM
I hadn't seen the two new bulbs before either Beckie so I'm anxious just like you. It will be fun to watch them all open.
Posted by: Kathleen | November 06, 2008 at 12:29 PM
That's where mine spend their summers too Marnie ~ outside. It's easier for me to fertilize them, etc., when I'm doing that already with my containers. Let us know if you get a new one.
Posted by: Kathleen | November 06, 2008 at 12:30 PM
Thank you for saying that Alice but don't get too impressed. I hardly do anything with them except take them outdoors in the summer and fertilize with my containers. The end of Sept or first part of Oct, I cut all the foliage off and put them in the back of a closet. Then whenever I see the bloom heads pushing up, I bring them out into the light. You should try it again!
Posted by: Kathleen | November 06, 2008 at 12:33 PM