bright spots of sunshine...

Last November, I ordered several Amaryllis bulbs online at American Meadows. Every year, I usually grow one of the $4.99 big box store variety but found that they are the same old red ones every year and I wanted some variety and hopefully pink ones. I figured I spend $$ on my summer garden that I should invest in a indoor winter garden that hopefully will rebloom year after year.

First up is my white one - it did not have a fancy name but was labeled "Christmas Gift Amaryllis Bulb" and it promised up to 8" blossoms. So far there is only one stalk with 4 buds and this is the first bud that opened - I just measured it is 7" across and looks HUGE in person.Then I fell in love with this double variety labeled Elvas Amaryllis Bulb. It has sprouted 2 stalks of which one is just sprouting up and the other has 5 buds and two blossoms have opened. This plant is also labeled as up to 8" blossoms and one is 6" and one is 7".
I just love these two :)
The white one is planted in a larger pot with another bulb...
It is the Neon Rose Amaryllis Bulb. This is the only bulb that was blooming for Christmas and all were planted Thanksgiving weekend. The blossoms are much smaller at a little under 4" but the stalks are filled with blossoms. I do not remember how many were on the first stalk at Christmas and I have already cut that one off but this second stalk has 8 buds with 5 of them currently blossoming. They are gorgeous hot pink streaked with white.
I gave one of the neon pink bulbs to Jayme since we are pink loving girls and check out her artistic photo of them HERE.

Nothing brightens up a cold Minnesota winter like giant blossoms on the dining room table!
I have one more amaryllis potted and it has 2 giant stalks so I look forward to showing you that one soon.

These bulbs arrived with a brochure on how to care for them to make them last for years and years. I saved it and will follow it faithfully as well as add bulbs each year until I have a regular indoor garden to enjoy. In reading the tips I found out why I could never get my cheapo bulbs to rebloom, I would keep them alive till spring, plant them in the garden, dig them up right before the first frost, cut off the tops and let dry a few days and then put them in a brown paper bag in the fridge for 6 weeks before potting once again. The tip sheet that came with the new bulbs states that those steps are correct in one of the ways to get them to rebloom, but I also found out that storing them in a fridge containing apples makes them sterile. Our fridge always contains apples :( I thought I would pass on that tip to anyone else having trouble with reblooming.

Have a wonderful day! I am busy with office work and chores but every time I walk by these flowers I just smile wide :)