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The beautiful Amaryllis given to us by neighbors at the holidays has opened at last.
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We stop and marvel at its beauty each time we move through the house.
The timing is perfect, as it is open to enjoy during our Valentine’s weekend celebrations.
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Planted on January 3, the bulb has grown rapidly during the depths of winter, enjoying only the sunlight which reaches it from our windows. It took not quite 40 days from bulb to bloom. It is remarkable, when you think of it!
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An Amaryllis bulb will bloom once a year. Like most bulbs, its leaves will continue to grow for many weeks, storing food to fuel next year’s bloom. When the leaves die back, the bulb remains full of life, resting through a period of dormancy.
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Some Amaryllis are tender, others can withstand frost. This plant will go outside, in a new pot, once danger of frost has passed. After its rest, we will begin to water it again next November and hope to get the timing right so it is in bloom for Christmas 2015.
What a wonderful gift from thoughtful friends and neighbors!
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Woodland Gnome 2015
Forest Garden 
Great pictures! Followed your blog from Hugh’s Views and News!! Looking forward to reading about your garden! Have a great day!
Thank you, Patrick, for visiting Forest Garden today 😉 I’ll be over to visit your blog later today. Best wishes, WG
Thanks for visiting the blog! Great to connect! Sounds like we have a lot in common!
WG, we had a speaker at our garden club give tips on keeping the bulbs alive year and year which I am going to try this year. What a great idea to place a hurricane over the stems to lend support. Mine is toppling over.
What a great garden club you have! What were the best or most unusual tips the speaker offered? I planted one out this past summer, and wonder whether it will survive the winter…. fingers crossed. They made it in my Va B garden- first one tried here. We are pleased that the globe worked- especially without a lot of bright light 😉 Best wishes, WG
Absolutely beautiful; thank for sharing such a vibrant splash of colour and delicacy.
Thank you for visiting Forest Garden 😉 Our pleasure to share photos of such a lovely plant. Best wishes, WG
It is gorgeous! I love the crystalline petals that glint in the light like spun sugar. And the rest of the plants at its feet are looking so happy and healthy as well. Everything you touch turns to gold! 🙂
Very beautiful!!!!
Now that’s what I call neighbors to treasure.