Amaryllis - January's Best Blossoms

The view from my window. The view from up here.

 * lilting holiday music * Oh, the weather outside is frightful.. Normal. 

For the first time, in 7 years, we are experiencing an absolutely delightful, normal, cold, snowy, winter. 

And I gotta tell ya.. it is bringing me back to life. This break in the severe drought began long before the snows arrived. Utah experienced a monsoon season this summer! Albeit short, but who cares? It's a positive. Good news is hard to come by, these days. 

This is a $10 dollar flower bulb, purchased from Home Depot.

Indoors - everything is also normal. Well. As normal as it can be around here. When you live in a ski resort, experiencing the "Best Ever!" snow and your tiny mountain town has blossomed with an extra 80,000 people who showed up to ski. 

Never mind the fact that they don't know how to ski. This is instagram-able! So they booked a flight.

This variegated Amaryllis is one of my favorites. Another $10 bulb from HD.

I'm sure you've seen them. The boxes and boxes of Amaryllis bulbs adorning the shelves of the [aptly named] big box stores around the holidays. 

Like most fabulous blossoms, they do not care that you prefer instant gratification.

However! They are most definitely worth the wait. [Approximately 6 weeks after planting day.]

I saved this Amaryllis bulb. She was growing in a box in the store when I found her.

They are the most impressive bulbs. 

Amaryllis are so eager to bloom, they often grow, and blossom, without sunlight, soil or water. 

You've probably seen that, too. After the holidays, when the bulbs who weren't purchased are still sitting in the dark boxes, inside the store. Oftentimes you'll see a tall stem, with a large flower bud on top the stem, forcing her way out of the cardboard container.

Like this gal!  👇  I saved her. The minute I gave her a sunny window + a desperately needed drink of water... she decided to become a tree:

Pay no attention to that can of dog food next to this pretty flower. 

The cost of these stunningly beautiful houseplants - each flower is twice the size of my hand - is about $10 bucks.*

So if you see one struggling this time of year - Save Her! You'll be glad you did. And so will she.

Amaryllis petals sparkle in the sunlight.

If that sales pitch is not enough incentive for you to save a struggling bulb, here's one more. 

In the sunlight the petals sparkle - as if covered in fairy dust.

The beautiful view on my {filthy} kitchen counter.

* If you are already an Amaryllis aficionado, then you probably know that nursery grade bulbs produce even bigger flowers. Therefore they are considerably more expensive. American Meadows is a great resource for them. And, no, they did not pay me to say that. Every Christmas, a gardening friend of mine gifts me with one of their bulbs. Thanks, Hazel! My premium bulb hasn't bloomed. Yet.

Happy January Gardeners! Let's make it a pretty one.

Tip: 

Amaryllis bulbs will re-bloom. (Though they rarely bloom as prolifically as they did the first time.) I'm far too lazy to do this but here's how: Set your bulb flower pot in a shady spot in your garden. Leave her out there, all summer, until after the first light freeze. Snip the greenery. Store in a cool, dark box, or closet, for 6 weeks. Then bring her out, give her a sip of water and watch her do her stuff. (Probably 10 weeks to bloom time.)