I have written before about the beauty of Amaryllis and some of the history behind this gorgeous flower, but I came across some new bulbs for the fall season and wanted to give you that information.

As stated before, Amaryllis is a winter bulb that you can plant at home in the fall and have beautiful flowers during the gloomy winter months. It is real easy to plant the bulbs and any container will do. But, if you want to impress your family and friends, do buy a nice container to display the stunning Amaryllis flowers.

Here are some new Amaryllis bulbs this year.

Amaryllis Alfresco – Botanical name is Hippeastrum Alfresco
Wow! This Amaryllis blooms in only 30 days from planting. It is considered one of the most beautiful white Amaryllis in the market. I am sure you will agree when you see the picture below. It has large 6-inch blooms with a soft chartreuse center. The blooms are borne on strong 14-inch stems and last for several days. The plant produces 5-8 large blooms. (photo courtesy of Wayside Gardens)

Amaryllis Amico – Botanical name is Hippeastrum Amico
Here is an Amaryllis that produces up to 12 blooms per bulb. Awesome! This Amaryllis is considered a miniature because the stems are just 12 inches tall but you can expect at least 12 4-inch blooms from each bulb. The blooms displays bold white stripes that begin at the throat of the flower lining the center of each red petal somehow fading as they reach the petal tips. For a gorgeous look, plant multiple bulbs in the same container and 26 days later you will have beautiful flowers in your home. (photo courtesy of Wayside Gardens)

Amaryllis Jade Serpent – Botanical name is Hippeastrum Jade Serpent
This unusual miniature Amaryllis produces up to 8 soft green blooms in just 34 days from planting. This Amaryllis looks very different than most traditional ones in that it is a rarely seen color for Amaryllis. Jade Serpent offers 3-inch blooms on stems that are only 10 inches tall and produces up to 8 blooms per plant. (photo courtesy of Wayside Gardens)

Amaryllis Molto Bello – Botanical name is Hippeastrum Molto Bello
This is a truly elegant Amaryllis as it displays beautiful white blooms which are perfect for any occasion. Molto Bello is considered a miniature Amaryllis as the flowers measure 3 inches across and the stem is only 10 inches tall. The pure white flowers have curving petals and a soft green center. For a stunning look, plant a Molto Bello bulb and pair it with an Amico bulb and you will get red and white contrast. Wow! (photo courtesy of Wayside Gardens)

Enjoy,
Diana

Have you heard about the Bat Plant? Yes, you heard that right, there is a very unique tropical plant called the Bat Plant. It actually resembles a bat and is very different than other plants. And, most people have never seen it before and are simply amazed by its weird look.

The bat plant produces eye-catching foliage and the flower is one of the most talked about you will have in your garden. The flower is a strange looking one that almost resembles a bat’s black face with large ears and long spooky whiskers. This unusual tropical perennial comes from the monsoon forests of West Africa and South East Asia. (photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.)

For Gothic charm and a bit of Halloween decorations, get a bat plant bulb, plant it now in the autumn and you should have that unique ghostly garden next year. From what I understand, the bat plant blooms in late summer and early fall in Florida. For colder climates, it is recommended that you plant the bulb indoors in a container and then move it outside when the weather warms up.

If you want to have some fun, plant the bulb now in an unusual container like a hollowed pumpkin or a coffin like one with orange and yellow colors. Next spring, the plant will come up with lots of glossy leaves and in early summer, a stalk will develop resembling a budge near the tip. After that the flower begins to form, whiskers and all, resembling a bat’s face. (photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.)

The bat plant comes in white and maroon colors and the maroon one looks really spooky. It reaches 3 feet tall and wide and likes indirect sunlight so it is best to plant it indoors. If you want to plant it in the garden, dig a hole large enough so that you can put the whole pot into it. This way, you can easily move it indoors when the weather gets cold. (photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.)

To your ghostly garden,
Diana

Beautiful Narcissus flowers (known as the wild daffodil) are in the Amaryllis family and native to Europe, North Africa and Asia. In order to have flowering Narcissus in the spring, you must plant the bulbs now in the autumn.

Narcissus are somewhat similar to daffodils but the main difference is that Narcissus have a central trumpet-like shape, or disc-shaped surrounded by a ring of six floral leaves called the perianth.

Years ago, Narcissus was used for medicinal purposes. It has bee said that in traditional Japanese medicine, wounds were treated with Narcissus root and wheat flour paste. The Roman physician Aulus Cornelius Celsus listed Narcissus root to be among medical herbs and described it as emollient, erodent, and very powerful in getting rid of any ailments of the body.

The Narcissus flower is named after Narcissus in Greek mythology who was the god of beauty. According to history, Narcissus was the son of the river god Cephisus. When he was born, they asked a seer named Tiresias if the child would live a long life and the answer was ‘if he never knows himself’. The story goes on to say that Narcissus supposedly turned into a flower when he died.

There is lots of history behind the Narcissus flower and will not bore you with all the details. What is really important here is that Narcissus are a beautiful flower and easy to grow. If you like daffodils, then you will love Narcissus because they are in the same family. There are also many species in the market today and here are a few that I am familiar with.

Narcissus ‘Golden Ducat’ – Botanical name is the same

photo courtesy of Wayside Gardens
This Narcissus somewhat resembles a Peony with its huge 4-inch double blooms. It produced golden blooms with many fluffy points that extend 4 inches wide atop 15-inch stems. Golden Ducat blooms mid to late spring and grows well in zones 4-8.

Narcissus ‘Jetfire’ – Botanical name is the same

Photo courtesy of Wayside Gardens
Plant Jetfire among other tall perennials as these only grow on 8 inch stems. The golden petals are bent back on long ruffled orange trumpets. Jetfire is considered a free-blooming as many of the 8 inch stems will produce a second blossom. It blooms early spring to mid spring and grows well in zones 4-9.

Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’ – Botanical name is the same

Photo courtesy of Wayside Gardens
Here is a beautiful bi-color Narcissus that is bad weather resistant. Ice Follies blooms measure almost 5 inches wide on 20 inch stems. The outside petals are pure white with a creased look. The cup is shallow and butter yellow shading at the petal tips to a darker shade at the center. Ice follies blooms mid spring and grows well in zones 4-8,

Enjoy,
Diana

Autumn is a beautiful time of the year when trees begin to change colors in shades of yellow, orange and red. It is also a time when most gardens look dull and gray as most of the colorful annuals plants are gone. But it does not have to be this way.

Did you know that you can have a thriving flower garden in the autumn? Yes, you can! There are lots of autumn blooming bulbs that you can plant now and these will bloom next fall. Plant them this year and as other flowers begin to disappear in your garden, next year beautiful blooms will appear in the fall season.

Start visiting your local nursery or shop online for autumn blooming bulbs and get busy in your garden. Next year, you will be glad you planted your bulbs when you see the flowers come up. To help you get started, here is a short list of some autumn blooming bulbs that you can plant now.

Autumn Crocus ‘The Giant’ – Botanical name is Colchicum Speciosum ‘The Giant’

(photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.)
Rose color flowers streaked with white will appear from this bulb. See the picture below. This is a very easy plant to grow. Just set the bulbs in well drained, moist soil in a sunny area of your garden. The Giant is pest resistant and grows well in zones 5-8. It blooms from early fall to mid fall.

Colchicum Cilicicum – Botanical name is the same

(photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.)
A native of Turkey, if you like Colchicums this is one of the most reliable to plant in your garden. It blooms freely with about 15 flowers per bulb. The flowers are about 2 inches and the shade is a dark rosy-purple. When the flowers die, large 1 foot strap-shaped leaves will appear. Colchicum likes full sun, well drained soil, and grows well in zones 4-9. Blooms early fall to mid fall.

Autumn Crocus ‘Waterlily’ – Botanical name is Colchicum Waterlily

(photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.)
Somehow, the blossoms of this colchicum resemble floating waterlilies. Large, 4 to 5 inch lavender-pink double flowers appear on leafless stems in mid-autumn. It is easy to grow, just plant the bulb in well drained soil. Colchicum likes full sun, it is pest resistant and grows well in zones 5-8. Blooms early fall to mid fall.

Hardy Cyclamen Neapolitanun – Botanical name is Cyclamen Neapolitanum

(photo courtesy of Park Seed Co.)
Wow! This Cyclamen is hardy to -20 degrees Fahrenheit. It offers masses of lilac flowers with rich dark ‘eyes’. The petals curve upward above variegated, heart-shaped foliage. You can plant this bulb under trees, shrubs or pots as it likes the shade. Blooms early fall to mid fall and grows well in zones 5-9.

To your gardening success,
Diana