From the Grower to the Holiday Table
Every year, right after Christmas I start pondering my selection of flowering bulbs for the next year. So many are available from around the world, that it makes it hard to choose, but I do have my preferences. Red Pearl, a rich velvety blood red that is rarely seen, and Limona, whose bloom begins as a soft chartreuse and slowly acquires pink veins at the petal tips are my two favorites. Everyone who is accustomed to the old fashioned “Red Lion” variety are never disappointed by these refreshing new cultivars.
After enjoying bulbs indoors, give Amaryllis a special place in your garden!
We receive our bulbs in mid-October and plant them in natural terra-cotta pots as I love that the clay often produces a mossy adornment that adds so much to the character of the planting.
Paperwhites (Narcissus) come to us from growers in Israel who take great care cultivating bulbs that are “programed” to bloom in six weeks, but mother nature sometimes has other plans. We sometimes have early blooms, four weeks into production and as late as New Year’s Eve which allows us to extend our availability.
Amaryllis are shipped from Holland and programmed to bloom anywhere from four to eight weeks from the time of planting. They sometimes bloom as late as March, which means that we most often have them around for Valentine’s day offerings.
I always order from the same reliable growers whose Amaryllis bulbs never seem to fail to produce three stalks from every bulb, with three to five flowers per stalk. I have been so pleased with the high quality of our bulb plantings that I’m sure they will be a yearly part of the holiday offerings at Floral and Hardy Farm.
Donna Mills
