Let’s face it, we all have people in our lives that are impossible to buy for. With Christmas right around the corner, if you have someone that you just can’t find that perfect gift for, give them some flowering bulbs. This is a gift that they will have for years to come as bulbs do come back every year and they will always remember you with fond memories. (photo courtesy: Breck’s)

Christmas is a time for giving and now you can order some bulbs at incredible prices. For example, Breck’s which is a very reputable bulb company is offering 25% discount on selected bulbs for Christmas. They have lots of bulbs to choose from in their Holiday Collection but you have to hurry and order by December 15th to lock in your savings.

These bulbs come from Holland and Breck’s uses the most efficient way to ship them to you via US Parcel Service or United Parcel Service. They guarantee that all of their holiday gift items ordered before December 15th will be delivered by Christmas Eve. So hurry and get your order in for all those special people on your list. Here are a few of the bulbs in their collection.

Twinkle Twinkle Holiday Star Amaryllis
This gorgeous red amaryllis is known as the Star of Holland because of its dramatic white star in the center of each bloom. Amaryllis is truly a traditional symbol of the holiday season and you can expect to get 6-8 flowers that measure 8″ across from 1-bulb planter. (photo courtesy: Breck’s)

Sleigh Bell Daffodil
Daffodils are an old time favorite of many people and very easy to grow. Sleigh Bell Daffodil produces multiple blooms per stem of beautiful soft yellow flowers that are accented by a darker cup. It has very sturdy stems that grow up to 10″ tall. In this collection, you will get 3 potted bulbs in a 4″ pot that comes wrapped in green foil and produces 18-21 blooms. (photo courtesy: Breck’s)

Christmas Charm Hyacinth
This is another old time favorite and heavenly fragrant. Christmas Charm Hyacinth produces hundreds of tiny florets and one stem is enough to perfume a whole room. It has strong stems and lavender bell flowers with white markings and you can get 3 potted bulbs in a 6″ pot wrapped in green foil. These bulbs are already sprouted so you can have flowers in just a few weeks. (photo courtesy: Breck’s)

Go ahead and get your order in to arrive just in time for the holidays. You will have peace of mind knowing that you’ve purchased your bulbs from a very reputable company like Breck’s.

Get beautiful color during the winter months by planting Cyclamen. It is native to the Mediterranean region from Spain to east of Iran, and also in northeast Africa. Although Cyclamen has been confused with Persian violet or primrose, it is actually in the myrsinaceae family and has nothing to do with primroses or violets.

Cyclamen are herbaceous plants with a surface or underground tuber which produces leaves and blooms during the winter months and continues to bloom until April each year. They can be propagated from seeds but usually takes between 9-18 months to reach the flowering stage. For this reason, it is best to buy the plants at a local nursery which are already established.

These garden beauties rarely do well in warm weather and they do have a dormant period during the summer months. One key feature of Cyclamen is its unusual variety of leaves and markings which range from round to oval, arrowhead shape, and ivy-leaved ones. Cyclamen is a tuberous potted plant that loves the cool weather and indirect sun light. They thrive in temperatures ranging from 55 to 65 degrees.

This gorgeous plant will give you lots of much needed color during the winter months and will continuously bloom all season long. The leaves are deep green heart-shaped with silvery marbled patterns. Cyclamen will do well if planted in the garden where winters are mild, but my advice is to plant them in containers and place them in the patio. They also do well in balconies, window boxes and large flower pots.

Caring for Cyclamen is easy as these require very little care. Just make sure that the soil if kept moist but be careful not to over water them and that they have indirect sun light. With proper light, adequate moist soil and cool temperatures, you will have beautiful color in your garden all winter long. If your garden lacks color during the long winter months, go ahead and get some Cyclamen plants and place them in your garden. To get you started, here are some Cyclamen that I am familiar with.

Hardy Cyclamen Lily Pad White – Botanical name is Cyclamen coum Lily Pad White

Photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.
This hardy Cyclamen blooms continuously from December to April with gorgeous white blooms above silvery green foliage. The blooms seem to arch above the wide rounded heart shaped foliage which looks like little frogs jumping from one lily pad to the next. The leaves usually arise in autumn and are olive green shade with silver overtones. These will tolerate frost and other inclement winter conditions and around December, white blooms will appear which will continue for up to 5 months. Lily Pad White likes the shade and thrives in zones 5-9.

Hardy Cyclamen Neapolitanum – Botanical name is the same

Photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.
Wow! This Cyclamen is hardy even in 20 degrees Fahrenheit. This dainty Cyclamen is ideal for planting under the shade of trees to add beauty and color to your garden. It offers masses of lilac flowers with rich dark eyes and petals curving upward above heart shaped foliage. It thrives in zones 5-9 and in the shade beneath trees and shrubs and can also be planted in containers or pots.

Hardy Cyclamen Lily Pad Pink – Botanical name is Cyclamen coum Lily Pad Pink

Photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.
This Cyclamen actually tolerates frost and inclement winter weather. Recommended for the shade garden, Lily Pad Pink blooms continuously from late winter to mid spring. It has lavender-pink flowers and two tone green foliage marked with silver. Plant these in containers or large pots or even beneath trees or shrubs for a stunning winter flowering garden.

To a beautiful winter garden,
Diana

Alliums belong to the Liliaceae or Lily family. These bulbs produce a gorgeous flower that resembles a globe. There approximately 1200 species in the Alliums family and most of them are in the northern hemisphere.

This unique plant produces a cluster of flowers at the top of a leafless stalk. The Alliums bulb is also known as an onion and members of the genus include vegetables such as onions, shallots, leeks and chives. It has been said that Alliums species are found in most regions of the world except the tropics, New Zealand and Australia. Don’t know why.

Alliums add beauty to your garden when in full bloom and the flowers can be dried for use as winter decorations. These are hardy perennials that have true bulbs, are easy to grow and require little care once the plant is established.

You can mix Alliums with other perennials around your garden for a gorgeous look. It will add lots of color and interesting shapes to your garden. Most Alliums are in full bloom during the spring and early summer so the time to plant the bulbs is now. Here are a few of my favorite Alliums.

Allium ‘Globemaster’ – Botanical name is the same
Wow! Globemaster has fluffy violet blooms as big as soccer balls that shoot up from 3 foot stalks. Early summer these huge stems are topped by gigantic violet-pink cluster of flowers that are 8 inches wide. It is a Dutch hybrid that blooms for up to 3 weeks and thrives in zones 4-8. (photo courtesy of Wayside Gardens)

Allium Karataviense ‘Ivory Queen’ – Botanical name is the same
Considered a dwarf Allium because it only grows 6 to 9 inches high. Ivory Queen is ideal as a border plant. Masses of fragrant white globe like florets appear early summer and Ivory Queen will look gorgeous in front of taller perennial beds. You can also plant it in a container or a window box. It thrives in zones 4-8. (photo courtesy of Wayside Gardens)

Allium Atropurpureum – Botanical name is the same
This is a unique Allium in that the colors deepen with age. Atropurpureum is an heirloom dating back to 1800 and it is considered one of the most dramatic members of the Allium family. It produces masses of outstretched stars in a round 2 inch flower head. Each white-red bloom has a round green center and tiny green pads on the tip of each petal. The plant grows up to 3 feet tall and thrives in zones 4-9.

To your gardening success,
Diana

Daffodils are a much loved flower by many gardeners around the world because they are probably one of the easiest and most dependable flowers to grow. Plant the bulbs now and you will have beautiful Daffodils in the spring. Daffodils are in the Amaryllis family and they are often called Narcissus which is the Latin or botanical name for all Daffodils.

Depending on where you live, Daffodils will bloom from six weeks to six months. After the blooming season, let the Daffodil plant rebuild its bulb for the next year. The leaves stay green while this rebuilding process is taking place. When you see the leaves turning yellow, then go ahead and cut the leaves off. Otherwise, leave them alone.

According to the American Daffodil Society, there are between 50 and 100 species of Daffodils. However, when you talk to different botanists, they claim that there are between 40 to 200 different Daffodil species.

And, get this, the Daffodil is the national flower of Wales and it is a tradition to wear a Daffodil on Saint David’s Day which is March 1st. In some countries the yellow Daffodil is associated with Easter. It is also a common decoration during the Chinese New Year. There is a Daffodil Festival in Nantucket, MA in April every year. It is a celebration of spring and hundreds of antique cars are adorned with thousands of Daffodils. Awesome!

To get you started with your Daffodil gardening, here are a few of my favorites. As I mentioned above, the botanical name for all Daffodils is Narcissus.

Daffodil ‘Rose of May’
This one is a real beauty and quite different than most Daffodils. It has double flowers and blooms in late spring. The flowers are a soft shade of ivory-white with hints of pale yellow at the center. Rose of May stands up well to wind and rain and thrives in zones 3-9. (photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.)

Daffodil ‘Curly’
Here is a delightful little Daffodil that grows just 12 to 14 inches high. It produces masses of very short, curled dark yellow petals surrounding a yellow center. Clear white petals form on the outside for a very unique and beautiful look. It is just the right size that will survive wind and rain and thrives in zones 3-9. (photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.)

Daffodil ‘Fidelity’
Take a look at the unusual color combination of this Daffodil which was introduced 20 years ago. The ring of petals around the base of the bloom is light yellow and the long trumpet is apricot-pink with the petal tips rolled and flared. Fidelity blooms in mid spring and thrives in zones 4-9. (photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.)

Daffodil ‘Avalon’
Wow! This Daffodil has bi-color trumpet and bi-color petals. Although Avalon is not officially a trumpet Daffodil, it has a large cup that is almost 4 inches wide. The blooms arise on 16 to 18 inch stems and blooms mid-season. It is recommended that you plant about 5 bulbs per square foot, and Avalon thrives in zones 4-8. (photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.)

Enjoy,
Diana