Cactus Corner

Think Paradise.  What style of landscaping transports you to paradise?  My Persian neighbor wanted to be reminded of his native country.  First, he created mounds of dirt in his narrow front yard.  Then, slowly over time, as his budget allowed, he planted each mound very artistically with a variety of cactus and succulents.  If he wasn’t an expert when he started, he must surely be one by now.  His wife says finding and planting new varieties is his hobby.  The result is beautiful, water-wise, hangs together, and reminds him of home.  What’s your style:  southwest, Japanese, cottage, tropical, other?

Southwest Garden.  The photo shows another front yard planted with cactus, this one in Woodland Hills, CA.  This old, sunny garden is thriving in a raised, walled planter.  It has lots going for it:  drought tolerance, barrier properties, beautiful shapes and textures, spectacular flowers, and easy maintenance.  It transports me to Arizona whenever I see it.  There are many specimens, including large 6’ tall, multi-branched varieties in lovely shades of green.  This type of garden is becoming more popular again in southern California because of water usage restrictions.  Even if you don’t have a yard, one to three shapely cacti in their own pots make a striking statement.  Sedona anyone?

Japanese Garden.  A dear friend of mine found a great deal of satisfaction in creating her Japanese retreat in her backyard.  She contoured the yard for interest and built a river rock waterway and pool for goldfish.  Around this feature, she planted water plants and statuesque pines.  The addition of a traditional stone lantern and squared-off arbor brought Asian asymmetry to her beautiful setting.  She undertook this effort while dealing with health issues.  The project had many benefits for her:  paced productivity, healing tranquility, muffled freeway noise, and increased resale value.  If you only have a small space and budget, try a bonsai plant or tabletop fountain to get a similar effect.

Cottage Garden.  I love all types of gardens!  So, it’s hard to choose just one!  My front yard is more cottage-like.  You’ll recognize this style in a rose bush climbing up a trellis.  A cottage garden is very much a flower garden with stands of hollyhocks in bright pinks, daisies, snapdragons, bachelor-buttons, sweet Williams, delphiniums, wisteria, and borders of alyssum.  The list can be exhaustive!  There may be some wicker, a rocker, old teapots, a swing, and lots of pots.  This kind of garden grows more interesting with time as odds and ends are added, like an old screen door or shutters.  This is a garden that thrives on garage sales for plants and interesting pieces, like old watering cans.

Tropical Garden.  A true tropical garden requires lots of water.  However, a facsimile can be achieved in southern California with a modicum of watering.  Palms and ferns of all varieties evoke an island paradise.  Flowering plants to include are:  hibiscus, jasmine, gardenia, plumeria, bird of paradise, and banana trees.  Bamboo poles and fencing, tiki torches, and a rattan chair provide instant island touches.  For minimum cost and maximum effect in a tight space, feature a potted bromeliad below a bamboo wind chime.

Apricot Tree

Cut Costs. Where can you cut gardening costs? Postpone professional fruit tree pruning. You may be savvy about the proper way to prune an apricot tree, but I am not. Neither my husband nor I feel comfortable trying because our tree sits on a slope. We don’t climb trees anymore. Nor, do we have the proper tools and truck to haul away clipped branches. We’ve always relied on our gardener here in southern California to do it for us. Our former gardener included annual pruning in our monthly fee for weekly yard upkeep. However, our new gardener priced the job separately at $200 per year!

Postpone Pruning. Our apricot tree had been pruned every year, just after the buds emerged, in February. Under that regimen, the tree produced a large yield every other year. That was okay with us because we couldn’t manage so much fruit! With the economic downturn, however, we have not had our tree pruned for 2 years. Surprisingly to us, our tree has produced a more consistent heavy yield each year! And, we saved ourselves $400! The branches have grown much longer. The tree looks much bigger and fuller for not having been pruned. It may cost $200+ when we finally do have it pruned!

Fruit Dilemmas. It was a mistake to plant our apricot tree on the back slope, because we cannot balance a ladder to either prune or pick the fruit! The fruit is ready the last week of June and the first week of July. So, there’s a mad scramble to pick the ripening fruit to share with family and friends before the birds and squirrel get to it. You can guess who wins this contest! The birds are in giddy rapture, singing and feasting, then swooping down to the birdbath for a sip and a splash! The squirrel twirls and gnaws around one apricot after another, while hanging upside down! The result is a carpet of half eaten apricots under the tree and all over the playhouse deck! My fruit “cage” picker on a long pole just cannot compete! The fruit falls through it or is obscured by the plastic milk jug I tuck inside to try to capture the flying fruit that drops into the middle of my bush below!

In a Jam. We used to make DELICIOUS apricot jam and wished we could sell it. But, that would have taken Health Department approval! We’d such a stockpile of it, even after sharing, that years went by while it sat on the shelf! We had to throw a lot of it out! Before planting a fruit tree in order to make jam, consider the costs and time involved. It takes a huge amount of sugar, expensive pectin, fresh lemons, and lots of sterilized jars. The apricots must be pureed and cooked in a very large pot at a usually hot and busy time of the year. We could have made more than 50 jars of jam/year, but it was too costly.

Apricot and Blueberry Pie. We don’t make jam anymore (must restrict our sugar intake)! I was able to steal enough apricots from the birds this year to make a pie for the 4th of July. Here’s how. Make it a day before your party so juices congeal. Mix 1 cup of sugar, 1/4 c. cornstarch, and ½ tsp. cinnamon together. Divide this mixture between 1 c. berries and 3 c. apricots, mixing each separately before layering the pie, first with berries, then the apricots. Dot with butter. Crimp on top crust, make slits, sprinkle on sugar, cover crimped edge with foil, and bake 45-50 minutes in a preheated 425º oven.

Heavenly Bamboo Hedge

Heavenly or Hellish? Nandina domestica, aka sacred bamboo, though Asian, is not really bamboo. However, it has a reputation for growth and hardiness much like bamboo. Care must be taken with both canes, as to where they are planted to control their vigorous ways. In the southern U.S., from Texas to Florida, people share cautionary tales about this “evil,” rampant plant (see davesgarden.com). They say too many volunteers emerge, seeded by the droppings of berry-eating birds. All parts of the plant are poisonous (except to birds). With such a bad rap, why do people still plant heavenly bamboo?

Beautiful Specimens. Heavenly bamboos are very lovely to look at! They have slender leaves which vary in color through the year: from red to copper to bright green to blue green to pink and purple! They produce what look like conical, 10” seed sprays, i.e., panicles of white buds. These can be cut and used as lacy filler around potted white amaryllis or white roses, until the buds drop. After the sprays come plump red berries, which make pretty additions to floral displays around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Hedge or Screen? The photo shows a delicate hedge of heavenly bamboo between a dense row of Italian cypress trees and a concrete driveway. This is a neighborhood scene that I enjoy on my daily morning walks. I have not seen any other heavenly bamboo in this family’s yard, only the hedge. My guess is that the plants are around 20 years old. They can be kept compact through pruning. My plant is sandwiched between my air conditioner, which resides to one side of my dining room French doors (ugh!) and the sidewalk. It screens off that unsightly machine very nicely, yet allows air to pass through. I have not seen birds feeding on its berries, which I remove before they fall to the ground. I hope it has not invaded neighboring yards! Ask your neighbors for berries to start your own plants, if you decide it’s the right plant for your needs.

Carnival Prize. When my daughter was just a little girl, she was so excited to have won a plant for me at the town festival, Conejo Valley Days. It was a heavenly bamboo! I had no idea where to plant it or how it behaved. Luckily, I planted it in a spot sheltered from the wind. I know it likes being planted by concrete. Not many plants do! It would be a good choice for patios and entryways. I prune mine to form a narrow leafy wall. It doesn’t require much water and survives the occasional cold snap (38º) we get in southern California. In freezing weather, cut it down and it will grow back in spring. My plant gets partial sun, though it can take full sun, too. If you win a plant, check the Internet or a garden book before planting it for least surprising and best results!

Street Landscaping. Landscaping an area in your yard? See what’s been planted in your neighborhood. Copy plant choices that look great. Down our main drag, a long hedge of heavenly bamboo was planted up against the block wall shielding an exclusive housing development from the busy road. Over the past 25 years, that hedge has put on an absolutely gorgeous display of color! It does not appear that a single plant has ever been lost. But, always keep kid and pet safety in mind first when making your selection.

Pink Camellias

Many Varieties. The beauty and color of camellias certainly rival that of roses. Although they lack perfume, their blossoms have lovely overlapping petals against full, dark green leaves. Camellias come in many varieties, each with its own blooming timetable. Yuletide camellias, especially prized for their red blossoms with yellow stamen, begin blooming in November through December. My dark pink camellias have been blooming all through April and into May.

Shade Lovers. The light pink camellias shown in the photo demonstrate what I have found to be true. Camellias like to be sheltered in the shade from weather extremes. In the Los Angeles area, large stands of gorgeous camellias are on display at the Descanso Gardens (La Cañada) and at The Huntington Gardens (San Marino). In these locations, they seem to find shelter in each other’s company. A friend of mine has divided her garden by plant type. She has a rose garden and a camellia garden. This seems very sensible, as roses require lots of sun and camellias don’t.

Save Money. Smaller bushes are cheaper, but buy the largest camellia bushes you can reasonably afford. They grow very slowly. After 24 years, my bushes are finally 5’ tall. I don’t recommend pruning them. Do remove spent blossoms, as they can attract disease.

Care and Feeding. I made the mistake of cutting a number of long stem blossoms from one of a pair of young camellia bushes in my front yard. Sadly, that bush has never really recovered. The matching bush on the other side of my picture window, which was never pruned, is so much fuller. They both get equal light and water. Oddly enough, the peevish one gets more frequent doses of acidic coffee grounds (in lieu of expensive Miracle Grow for acid-loving plants), but still lags its twin in growth. I asked a neighbor, whose tall, bushy camellias are currently going crazy with blossoms, what he feeds them. He answered, “Nothing!” His success may be due to a bit more sun than my bushes get.

Display Ideas. Camellias are blossom-heavy so that they won’t stand upright in a vase. Clip them short. They are typically, charmingly displayed floating in a crystal bowl. White camellias almost look like large gardenias. Their only drawback is that their white petals quickly turn an unsightly brown on the bush. My sister delighted us at with a wonderful dessert that she garnished with chocolate leaves. She used camellia leaves from her bush, which she washed and dried, as forms. She painted melted chocolate onto the top of the leaves. Once they were dry, the camellia leaves could be easily pulled away and the chocolate leaves chilled in the refrigerator. It is safe to use camellia leaves as moulds, but not some other leaves (e.g., poisonous oleander leaves)!

Memorial. It’s particularly nice to give and receive a living plant to remember a loved one. In honor of her father, who passed away at Christmas time, my friend really appreciated the gift of a Yuletide camellia for her camellia garden. When in bloom, it’s like the loved one’s spirit is paying a visit to remind her of his steadfast love. In the language of flowers, a pink camellia symbolizes a “longing for you.”

Pink Jasmine

Fragrant Creepers. Intoxicatingly fragrant vines are hardy and economical. I look forward to their beautiful seasonal show of flowers and scent. The photo shows my pink jasmine beginning to bloom in late March. The thin buds are a deep pink. By the second week of blooming, you cannot see any leaves for the dense cloud of delicate little white flowers. Easter guests are greeted with the heavy perfume from vine clusters on three entryway columns. You cannot pass through without stopping to take in their heavenly scent and dainty beauty.

Provide Structure. Consider planting a pink or white star jasmine or honeysuckle on a sunny wall, column, portico, or trellis. A 5-gallon plant will spread fairly quickly with vines around 10’ long. Two white star jasmine plants climbing 2 patio cover columns spread around 20’.to shade my backyard parties. My slenderer pink jasmine vines climb four lengths of twine nailed to the base and top of each entry column.

The Birds and the Bees. Bees don’t seem to be a problem around my jasmine plants. However, they love to hang around honeysuckle. So, plant honeysuckle a distance away from seating and play areas. Hummingbirds will be attracted to the fragrant yellow blossoms of the honeysuckle and the white stars of jasmine. Your garden will be happily humming away with tiny, busy creatures whenever the vines bloom.

Watering and Feeding. While I’m sure all sun-loving vines love rich, well-drained soil and periodic feeding, mine thrive with benign neglect. I do not feed my jasmine, though I know they would like some nitrogen. Though these vines are fairly drought tolerant, I do water mine here in southern California once or twice a week.

Pruning. For vines to look bushy, they need some pruning to shape them. They have a tendency to accumulate “thatch” or woody, leafless mats under new growth. So, it’s a good idea to remove dead vines. White star jasmine is pretty indestructible, even with heavy pruning. However, pink jasmine is trickier. I lost two of my plants by cutting them back too severely. I think they like to grow on top of thatch. It’s hard to tell which woody vines are still supporting life, when they are all tangled! I just let them “do their thing.”

Sweet Notes. Honeysuckle is a wild kind of vine, the essence of a “natural” look, sometimes called woodbine. In the delightful children’s book, Mother’s Day Mice by Eve Bunting, the littlest mouse wants to gather honeysuckle as a gift for his mother. However, to do so, he must hazard being caught by the fat cat on the porch! Have you ever sucked on the pointy end of a honeysuckle blossom? It tastes like honey! And, it smells divine. The bees know what they’re doing! Make room for a sweet vine in your garden. Or, be sure to enjoy them wherever you find them! A couple of points of interest: the British actress, Honeysuckle Weeks is great in the PBS series, Foyle’s War and the famous perfume, White Shoulders, is a honeysuckle scent!

Spring Annuals.  Showy in winter in southern California, pansies are just getting planted in late March or early April elsewhere across the country.  Their bright purple and yellow velvety petals announce the coming of spring, especially Easter.  I’ve always wished I could afford to plant annuals with each change in the season.  But, being of a thrifty mind, I usually opt for perennials, which resurface each year.  However, it’s such a pleasure to see the intense color of annuals.  Save money gardening.   Buy just a few of your favorite annuals for a sunny area that you will see daily, rather than filling an entire bed.

Look Again.  With a fresh eye, look again at your yard or patio.  How could it be made more enjoyable?  I love my morning walks, when I can really appreciate the beauty of our neighborhood.  Some properties have been neglected, maybe because of the drought, but also maybe because of job and foreclosure set-backs.  It’s so sad.  That’s why I am overjoyed when a landscape is reclaimed by its owners.  Such was the case with the primrose bordered garden in the photo.  The new home owners went to work on the barren area adjacent to their entry.  The variety of plants and bright colors of the primroses suggest gaiety, new life, and connection not only to the land, but also to the community. 

Buy in Bulk.  One homeowner in my neighborhood plants a row of orange marigolds along the curve of her driveway.  Bordering the marigolds is a border of bright purple-blue lobelia.  The effect is stunning and lasts quite awhile.  But, when the plants die out, then another investment must be made in more plants.  If you do plan to plant borders of annuals, buy them small in flats to get the best price.  Pony-six-packs are the next best deal.  I have not had great luck with planting annuals from seed, wasting money on seeds that don’t sprout or never make it beyond the sprouting stage.  However, I am cursed (and blessed) with lots of shade, so that may be part of the problem.

Border Tips.  Rather than mixing colors of the same flower type, separate colors into rows or swaths.  One exception to that rule of thumb would be white, orange, and pink impatiens, which can look quite pretty mixed together.  Also, separate different kinds of flowers into rows or swaths.  Petunias and pansies don’t look good together.  In a planting bed, put taller growing annuals (white or blue delphiniums) in the back, then medium height plants (stock or snapdragons) in front of them, and low growers (sweet William) in the very front.  Perennials can also take the place of tall annuals.  Self-seeding white or purple alyssum would be pretty in front of the low growers, as well.   

Pot of Annuals.  If  your budget or space will not permit borders or planting beds, then consider a bowl, pot, or window box of annuals in a sunny spot.  They can lift your spirits and those of your family members and friends and passersby.  Making time to care for them, like snipping off spent blossoms, is making time for you to commune with nature. The earth and plant life can be so satisfyingly responsive to human touch.  Enjoy.

White Cloud of Blossoms. One of the earliest spring bloomers, the fruitless, flowering or ornamental pear takes center-stage. In southern California, these trees are very popular for park, roadway, mall, and home landscaping. In that sense, they are like the white iceberg rosebush, truly ubiquitous (meaning they’re everywhere – I love that word). With good reason, they are covered in blossoms, without a leaf in sight for weeks! Bred in Indiana, I just marvel at spring coming at the end of January here in the Los Angeles area. That’s when the trees start to bloom. They take my breath away, especially when they line a street for a block or more. If you want to prune your tree, do so after it blooms, leaving the branches with the widest juncture for strength.

Black Trunks and Branches. One of the special features of fruitless pear trees, besides their snowy white petals, is their actual tree structure. It is something to think about when deciding what tree to plant. How will the tree look when unadorned with blossoms and leaves? This type of tree looks beautiful, dark and lacy, especially after a good rain. Its ebony branches stand out against a green landscape. They flower best in full sun.

What’s Your Temperature Zone? If your temperatures go below -5º, you need to make sure you choose a variety that can survive your cold weather. There are 4 varieties I’ve found in doing research: Autumn Blaze, Aristocrat, Cleveland, and Bradford. I don’t know what variety it is that’s planted all over my neighborhood, which is in Zone 8B. Some flowering pears work in Zones 4-9, while others like 5-10. If flowering pear won’t work, then maybe the Okame cherry that’s so famous in Washington, D.C. would work for you. We know that they survive blizzards! Your local nursery should know best.

Leaf Color. The flowering pear’s leaves are a bright green. Come October into late November, its leaves hang on, turning different shades of orange, scarlet, and purple. It seems to be the cold that brings out their color. Actually, these trees are prettiest in spring, fall, and winter, when they look most distinctive. Otherwise, in their green state, they do not command quite so much attention, though their shape and shade are pleasant.

Save on Small Trees. Make up in patience what you lack in budget. Consider buying 3’ – 4’ tall trees. Though I have not used it, www.tytyga.com has the 4 different varieties and only charges $7.95 for their starter size. Other sites charge $24 to $40 for a 3’ -5’ tall tree. If you decide to plant a row or parallel rows of trees, leave enough room between them for their eventual growth. They may grow to 30’ – 40’ tall and 15’ – 20’ wide. You will probably have a 6’ tree in year two with blossoms, starting with a 4’ specimen.

Ornamental Trees. To see different kinds of ornamental trees, check out www.fast-growing-trees.com (whose prices start higher). A word of caution: once you plant a crepe myrtle, a very pretty ornamental tree, you will never be able to get rid of it! So, don’t even try to dig it out. I know. It will send up countless shoots to start new trees!

Jumbo Nagano Amaryllis and White Iris

Spectacular Display. Eight weeks ago I wrote about forcing bulbs. You saw my pots with dirt in them. Since then, all of the amaryllis bulbs have bloomed. Each showed up in its own time. The first to bloom, my favorite, was the Jumbo Nagano from www.bloomingblub.com. Count the trumpet blooms in the photo. There are 5, not the usual 2 that my other large amaryllis bulbs produce! What’s more is that a second stalk has since shot up a foot tall from the same bulb! The blossoms lasted for a couple of weeks. Right now, the beautiful Bellisimo, pink-tinged, white mini-trumpeted amaryllis is just finishing its blooming. The gorgeous, ethereal Trentino, white mini-trumpeted amaryllis is very vigorously blooming now, too.

Easy Summer Bulbs and Tubers. Forcing amaryllis to bloom from December through February is a perversion of nature! Actually, in Southern California, now is the normal time to plant amaryllis bulbs in the garden for summer bloom. Last year, my giant white amaryllis bulb bloomed in time for Mother’s Day. Try planting bulbs and tubers in the ground in spring for summer color. Delicate freesia, a gift from my daughter, which comes in many colors, is easy to plant and grow. My favorite is the yellow gold freesia, with its row of little bells along an arched, bright green stem. It has a heady fragrance that’s lacking in the other colors! Another easy plant to grow is liatris, a fuzzy purple stem over a foot tall.

More Work. My sister gave me bags full of dahlia tubers! What a luxury! They produce blossoms in an amazing array of structures and colors. Some are the size of my hand, with bright purple, magenta, and yellow in a single blossom! However, dahlias must be staked and dead leaves tidied-up. They have a tendency to fall over because their blossoms are so heavy! Irises are pretty showy, too, but they need to be thinned out from time to time, when the tubers crowd out each other. That’s when you have an opportunity to share starts with family and friends. White iris, white alyssum, and purple liatris, lavender, and sea statice look beautiful together bordering a sidewalk or driveway.

Good Investment. Bulbs and tubers are a good investment, because they keep producing year after year! However, depending on what zone of the country you live in, they may require more care. Think of the United States as divided into three belts. In the first belt, the southern-most swath from California to Florida, bulbs and tubers can be left in the ground (unless you get snow). The mid-section of the nation has a bit more frost for longer periods. The northern-most belt, including Northern Indiana, is in the cold belt. In these two belts, remove tubers and bulbs from the ground before frost. (Store them in a mesh or open paper bag, so they can “breathe” in a dry, ventilated, dark place).

When to Plant. Planting time for summer bulbs and tubers depends on which belt you live in: 1) southern belt, February – April, 2) mid-section belt, March – May, and 3) northern belt, April – June. You know summer “has arrived,” when your bulbs bloom!

Sago Palm and Arbor Vitae

Low-Cost Shrubs. It seems harder and harder to find low-cost shrubs. Your best bet is to save on smaller size containers, like 1 gallon shrubs. However, it’s not always easy to find them! Another way to “make do,” when you need shrubs, but have a very limited budget, is to take cuttings from your existing shrubs. If you have none, ask family and friends for a cutting that you can put in water for it to form roots, before planting. I’ve put root powder in the water to help the process along. Also, think of using a feature shrub, instead of a whole hedge in your landscaping plan.

Solo Shrubs. Sometimes an especially shapely, single shrub is all you need in an area. These shrubs are what I call “solo acts.” Spaces where solo shrubs are particularly effective include corners, wall ends, and driveway dividers in front of multiple garage doors. Both the arbor vitae and sago palm are excellent solo performers

Odd is Good! One is not always a “lonely number.” For example, my neighbor’s front yard has a hedge at right angles against their block wall. In front of that, they have planted two feature shrubs next to each other, one squat and the other pear-shaped. Upon seeing the pair, my eyes keep shifting back and forth, not sure which to focus on. It’s a bit unsettling when plants compete for attention. Either one of those plants would have been a lovely choice, but not together. Another solution, but costlier, would have been to put a second matching squatty plant on the other side of the pear-shaped shrub. Oddly enough, the eye prefers odd numbers of shrubs in a grouping, one or three or five.

Arbor Vitae. One of my personal favorites is the rather “old-fashioned” shrub, arbor vitae. I don’t see them in yards as much as I used to decades ago. Their evergreen boughs are a bright green, growing in vertical ruffles. Their pear-shape is maintained as the plant slowly matures. Mine is planted at the end of a rather plain block retaining wall. It always seemed to me that wall needed finishing, like a period at the end of a sentence. The arbor vitae forms a natural “column,” but curvier and shorter than an Italian cypress. I love my shrub. Unfortunately, when the tree overhead was pruned of a dead limb, it fell on one branch of my shrub. That hole has never been covered over by new growth. So, don’t think of pruning your arbor vitae. Just let your little gem thrive.

Sago Palm. This squatty-shaped tree grows very slowly. Because of its slow growth, larger plants are quite costly. A fifteen gallon plant will cost $50-$90. Its sturdy serrated deep green fronds are about 10” long on a young plant. It will eventually grow to a spread of around 5’ at 4’ tall. My parents had a lovely specimen growing in a large, heavy molded concrete pot in the corner of their entry landing, enclosed by black iron posts, heavy black chain swags, and a black iron lamp post. The effect was strikingly perfect. Unfortunately, one morning they discovered their potted palm had been stolen in the night! I suggest planting your sago palm in the ground, instead of a pot, which might otherwise prove too tempting. Sago palms in the ornamental plant world are like Porsches in the automotive world. They are coveted for their beauty and performance.

Winter Gardening. Learn to force bulbs to grow indoors in the dead of winter. If you have never tried growing bulbs indoors in a sunny window, you are in for a real treat. Right now, my rose bushes are still producing some big pink and red blossoms, thanks to a recent rain in Southern California! But come the first of January, it will be time to cut the rose bushes back to a few hearty canes. So, what can take the place of color outdoors until Spring comes? Fragrance and a riot of color indoors in clay pots.

Narcissus. Legend has it that handsome Narcissus fell in love with his reflection in a spring. Unable to pull himself away, he died, and the Narcissus flower grew in his place! Well, there is something to love about the little white trumpet flowers atop tall slender stalks! It has incredibly sweet fragrance. If you can, choose a sunny window near a seating area, where your family gathers, to place your pot. Everyone will comment on that heavenly scent. Mature narcissus bulbs are about the size of an apricot. You can find them in bags in autumn or already potted and blooming in December and January. The great thing about potted narcissus is that it produces baby bulbs that can be separated for planting next year.

Amaryllis. You’ve probably seen those gorgeous Christmas boxes with a single jumbo amaryllis bulb, about the size of a large orange, trying to grow out of one corner. But, did you know that there are mini-amaryllis bulbs, too? Colors range from deep reds to pinks to whites. These are gifts that keep giving every year. My sister treated all the ladies at the Thanksgiving table with an amaryllis box. These are stunning show-stoppers in a room. Guests want to inspect the huge blossoms up close.

Forcing Bulbs Indoors. An online source for beautiful amaryllis bulbs in a large variety of colors is http://www.bloomingbulb.com. They recommend that you first soak your bulbs in lukewarm water for several hours. Then, plant the bulbs just up to their necks in sandy, loose soil. A jumbo amaryllis would be planted in a 6”-8” pot. I crowded 10 of my small narcissus bulbs in their pot. Water the bulbs when they dry out a bit. You might want to support your narcissus and amaryllis with stakes. After the blooms fade, cut back stalks but not the leaves, which should continue to be watered until summer. Stop watering the bulbs then, cut back their leaves, remove the bulbs from the soil, and store them in a bag or pot in a dry place to plant again next the fall.

No Money for Bulbs? Ask a friend or family member into gardening if they can spare a few baby bulbs for you to nurture. Also, watch for bulbs marked down right after Christmas, on discount department store clearance shelves. 99¢ Only Stores have little packets of bulbs for, of course, 99¢. My family of bulbs keeps growing, each cheerfully producing year after year. Sometimes, I just plant the bulbs in the garden, but I love bringing the garden into the house with pots in winter. Try it for yourself! Experiment! Enjoy both their beauty and fragrance.