Amaryllis

The Amaryllis I bought 27/11/13 is still going strong , it has flowered and flowered and now is flowering again with 4 magnificent flowers .
What a spectacular plant, I got it from Aldi in the bud and next November will be definitely will be going there again.
joy to the world !

My poinsettia hedge was coming along nicely when my contract ended, I got married and moved off the school compound. I hope it was well treated!

Nothing "LURID about them at all , it just shows how wonderful Mother nature is that such a magnificent flower can be supported on such a slender stem, for such a long period .

We should celebrate nature and not take things for granted .

hmmmmm

I really do not like these lurid red flowers that appear at this time of year. Poor things, hothouse bred!

Gracesmum "Poinsettia's what?" Now is that or is it not being a pedant?
Don't worry, you won't be lonely. There are lots of us there already and we have a great time with our red pens and everything.....

Gracie Fields. That's who sang about the biggest aspidestra in the land,
I think.
I'm not brilliant with plants, but my Christmas cactus goes on blooming year after year regardless and is beautiful.
I love the idea of the bonsai tree grown from an acorn! Might give that a try myself.

I have 12' high bonsai oak tree grown from an acorn?

Isn't there a song about an aspidistra......La la la la la the biggest aspidistra in the land

I have had my aspidistra since 1977, my mum took a sneaky cutting from who knows where and passed it on to me. They are also known as the Cast Iron plant as they are almost impossible to kill off.

anno a poinsettia hedge sounds absolutely lovely.

Anno Your Poinsettia hedge must have been a delightful sight.

graces Was it the quality of your singing that caused the problem.

You can sing anything on GN and no one can complain. This makes it the best the audience ever.

Gracesmum, my MiL wouldn't have one in the house because she said they were rude!

I was very tempted to buy her a Georgia O'Keeffe calendar but I chickened out. Perhaps that's why you're in the naughty corner

I have grown an avocado plant from seed, beautiful leaves but I have only been successful as this once, years ago. I have tried repeatedly to do this again but without success.

I stick three cocktail sticks equally spaced into the centre of the stone, sit this in a glass with enough water to submerge the lower half of the stone, check water level doesn't drop and voila, leaves start to appear..

I'm sure this is what I did the first time but if any of you know what I am doing wrong I would welcome any tips.

Nonu I also like amaryllis. one I grow from scratch but cheat in a dark corner of our hall for Christmas with a bunch of fake Sainsbury red mixed with fake eucalyptus leaves and red berry stems.

Well you can tell when you're not wanted.......

Still don't understand why? All I did was sing.............

Oh I see!
Naughty corner graces

You're not?

why am I in Pedants' Corner?

Mr P has done wonders with a palm that he bought as a small specimen for me. I told him that mine always die, so he took over maintenance. It looks lovely, but now needs re-potting. It was when I was considering this that I noticed he had planted it straight into the rather lovely 1930's china cache pot. Not sure it can be got out without breaking the pot.

I stick to my peace lily, absolutely indestructible so far!

My MiL handed her aspidistra over to us. I tended it dutifully and when ex decided to be ex, I happily gave him custody of it.

I've got an aspidistra! I bought it at a boot sale - for the pot. It had one leaf then....but when i looked after it and it grew, it turned out to be a variegated aspidistra!

Yes icy , there she must go forthwith. Mind you I am "Sobbing uncontrollably" !!! that Grace would even ^ Think^ I am to blame for the song going round her head !!


Still the Amaryllis is going along nicely & the Cyclamen are to die for . Sooo very beautiful , absolutely my plant of choice from now on in .

Poinsettias are forced in order to be ready in time for Christmas and then they are introduced into alien conditions. Can't help feeling sorry for them. In my garden in Kenya I had a poinsettia tree, I took cuttings (carefully - the sap is poisonous), shoved them in the ground and they grew into a hedge around my kitchen garden. Happy days!

Bad Gracesmum, it's Pedants' Corner time.

Christmas cacti are pretty hardy. Poinsettia's just have have a death wish.

Don't over water them.
Don't keep them too dry.
Dont keep them in warm place.
Don't keep them in a cool place.

Save money and buy something else entirely. Or a good artificial one.

The two house plants I have had for years are an Aspidistra and a Clivia Miniata which do have a good once a year flower. These both seem to survive pretty well whatever you do to them.

I totally blame you for this Nonu!

I have had a song going through my head all day and it is driving me mad:

"Is this the way to Amaryllis...."