Sometime in December my one and only hippeastrum or amaryllis bulb for the season arrived in the post - it's name 'Green Valley'. It had been bought at a sales price and was already sprouting on receipt. It arrived in that bitterly cold spell we experienced in December .The glass jar that I was going to plant it in was lurking outside, so for the time being or that was the intention I removed the bulb and placed it on the kitchen window sill. It was still in it's original wrapping paper. I knew that the jar, complete with layer of gravel at the base would need a wash under our outside tap before I could use it. When it eventually warmed up enough to take the bubble wrap off to use the tap without risking frostbite what did I find? Sadly the low temperatures had resulted in my jar being shattered into smithereens. I could have cried but didn't. I didn't have another container fit for purpose and with Christmas creeping upon us and other distracting events going on getting a replacement went out of my mind.
Fast forward to January and the first stem opened and flowered happily - magic considering that it's roots had not made contact with either compost or water. This is the second flowering stem albeit much shorter than the first. I will be shopping sooner or later for a replacement bottle as I don't want to repeat the experience but it was most interesting to witness. I have also made a note to try the same variety again as it is a most subtle beauty.
With thanks as always to Cathy over at 'Rambling In The Garden', for providing fellow bloggers with the opportunity to share our 'vases' and their contents each and every Monday.
