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.
Isn't nature's resilience simple awesome? Your hippeastrum looks stunning. Monsieur would be delighted with your vase as he doesn't like cut flowers, always says it's tough to watch them die. Hope spring is in the air in your part of the world, Anna, and that you're both well and happy.
ReplyDeleteYes nature certainly never ceases to amaze Annette 😂 We will be both be happier when spring finally arrives.
DeleteCrikey Anna - who would have known?! I am glad you have still been able to appreciate its beauty even without te planned glass container. It is indeed a very pretty shade 👍 I have missed Aldi's hippeastrum as they haven't reappeared since Brexit and I fear they never will... 🙄
ReplyDeleteI liked the shade too Cathy 😀 I wasn't able to venture into our Aldi to look out for bulbs before Christmas. Funnily enough though my bulb came from Farmer Gracy and the company is based in Holland 🤔
DeleteI love green flowers and did not realize a Hippeastrum existed in that color. I love it and it must be a tough one to be flowering in its wrapper! Amelia
ReplyDeleteThank you Amelia - it certainly proved itself to be a survivor 😂
DeleteThey sell Amaryllis/Hippeastrum bulbs encased in colored wax here and I'm told that most actually bloom so your experience adds corroboration to the bulb's ability to flower without a lot of support. Your flower reminds me of the 'Luna' variety I bought in late 2021 year. It was the most vigorous bulb I've ever seen - each one of the 3 I potted up produced no less than 3 stems last year. I've planted all those bulbs out in my garden in the hope they'll naturalize. One bulb even bloomed again after being planted. They've yet to make an appearance this year but, when planted in the ground, they usually bloom much later - and it's been especially cold this year.
ReplyDeleteI have bought them before with shoots already emerging in boxes. I think that I grew Luna too a couple of years ago Kris and it was a lovely flower. Too cold and damp here for us to plant out but I imagine that they would look great in the garden.
DeleteThat is most amazing....the miracle of flowers and nature.
ReplyDeleteA winning combination Donna 😂
DeleteWhat cruel weather brings with its freezing and thawing, cracking and splintering, this bulb had already stored sufficient to flower. Anna, with your gardening abilities, I am sure you will be able to grow it on and have flowers next year,
ReplyDeleteI've never had any joy getting them to survive Noelle as I forget all about them once they have flowered 😢 Will have to do better.
DeleteIncredible it survived and produced that lovely flower without water or soil. Consolation for the broken jar. I have seen them on sale here sealed in wax, but have never bought one as I would worry it would get too heavy and fall over without a pot!
ReplyDeleteYes they do topple over Cathy once they have gained height, sometimes with disastrous consequences 😂 Growing them in a bottle gave them the support they needed but it wasn't to be this year. I was even more amazed that despite the neglect that it produced not just one but two flowering stems 😂
DeleteLove the colour - our hippeastrum has a bud. It's the third year that it had flowered. Las year it toppled over and the flower snapped off so we will have the take better care this year.
ReplyDeleteOh three years is a good record Sue. Fingers crossed that it doesn't meet with any unwanted accidents this year.
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