All Hung up with Amaryllis

Don’t you love the winter months? The snow covering everything, the frosty branches and folks all bundled up in cozy attire all paint a beautiful picture! Now, if these were only pictures then I’d be happy. Winter is not what you’d call my favourite season, but, like the hair loss of ’87, I’ll get through it! I do like winter for its powers of comfort. We spend more time at home with people we love, with friends and family, and also tend to slow down a bit after the busy pace leading up to the holiday season. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love getting wound up like a $3 watch in preparation for Christmas (especially all the good food), but I’m glad to settle down afterwards.

When dressing a home for the winter, I try to get people to think of the season and not of the holiday. This way, we can add seasonal decor like beautiful over-filled pots of evergreens and berries outside your door, adding ribbons and balls for Christmas, so afterwards the glitz can go for the rest of the winter. Even inside, I like to see bowls filled with winter fruits and veggies, with accents of greenery for a rich winter centrepiece. Don’t forget that Christmas wreath has to come off your door by the end of January!

Now, after Christmas it’s easy to sink into a colourless funk, so here’s when I suggest using tropical flowers in the home. Bird of paradise, ginger and orchids last well (almost as long as leftover turkey), you need only to have a few stems to brighten a room, and these flowers act as a reminder to many a tropical vacation to come or from years gone by.

You may not be able to get tropical flowers or go on a winter trip, but I’m sure you can get hold of an amaryllis bulb or some paperwhites. My mom got these every year when we were children (and she still does, as we give her 10 to 20 bulbs each year), and to watch them grow is fascinating! The big blooms of the amaryllis are breathtaking, and since they have no scent, are good for most homes. The paperwhites are heavily scented so you may think twice when getting these.

Choose paperwhite bulbs that are firm and have little or no green shoots appearing. Plant paperwhites in a pretty waterproof pot filled with stones or marbles, and keep it in a sunny window, filled with water. Keeping these on the cool side will see them lasting longer, too. Depending on the variety, they can sprout in as little as a week and once started, paperwhites grow quickly with blooms lasting for over a week. I compost the bulbs afterward as they are nearly impossible to bring into re-bloom.

Amaryllis often comes with a pot and soil — a cheap pot and not enough soil. They need a lot of support to keep them standing and I often hear about plants tipping over. Also, I find the pot a bit boring, and prefer to use something nicer, like a big crock pot — put several in one for a big splash — or a nice ceramic planter. I add branches when planting them for structural support as well as texture and interest — until they start to grow they can look bleak.

Now, amaryllis are funny plants, and many folks say they keep them alive year round, with repeat blooms every year. Good for you!  My mom has often gotten a second year from hers, but more often than not, it’s a pot of leaves that appears... which is pretty on its own, too.  I allow mine to leaf out, keeping them alive for the winter, and I plant them in the garden for the summer. I often get a flower in late August doing this, but know that these are tropical bulbs and will not survive our winters.

Here’s a quick fun thing to do with amaryllis as a cut flower: Fill the stem (it’s hollow) with water and hang the flower upside down off your table light for a neat centrepiece! Who says a centerpiece has to sit on the table? This is too cool, and the flowers will last very well! It’s a real conversation piece if nothing else, and let’s face it, after the long months of winter, who has much to talk about anyway?
Have a great winter, and have fun getting hung up with your amaryllis!
 

Neville MacKay travels Canada speaking and designing, and works from his shop, My Mother’s Bloomers, in Halifax. For more information, check out his website: mymothersbloomers.com. •