Failure

This is the year the indoor bulbs sat and sulked. I've been forcing paper whites for thirty years, and for some reason I lost my knack this time around. Out of half a dozen bowls, maybe three actually bloomed. The others began to stink and die. And these were from WFF, usually quite reliable, so it must be operator error.

Amaryllis are a bit harder, but I've been able to winter them over fairly well, and the ones you buy ready to sprout are usually easy peasy. Not this year. Here are several of them in a row, refusing to grow, let alone bloom.

 

The only one that's showing any signs of life is one I've wintered over for several years. I guess it knows the drill better than the others.

 

Winter blooms

Yesterday was the shortest day, and today it's bitterly cold but bright. I need to get out in the garden and do some clean-up, but it's way too cold, Instead, here's a glimpse of paper whites in bloom and a few begonias wintering over on the windowsill.

 

Margaret Roach over at A Way to Garden is complaining about her paperwhites, but she should just get over the smell - aroma! - and cut her flopping blooms and put them in a vase, as Mom recommends.