Christmas cactus perhaps not for decking the halls

Fiona juggles the vagaries of indoor horticulture with haring hounds as her thoughts turn towards the festive period

Ido not know why they call it a Christmas cactus. Because my two have been and gone. Long before the festive season is upon us… Schlumbergera is the name of this undemanding and showy plant. One boasts gloriously shameful scarlet buds. The other is a seriously shocking shade of pink. These favourites are hardy. They offer colour on a dismal day. And now mine are finished for another year.

Oh well. C’est la vie. I suppose it is now ‘bring on the poinsettia’. Although my attempts at keeping this one going right through to Boxing Day have always ended in failure, or at the very least, lamentable leaf drop.

This year I may play safe with a pot of ivy. This waxy climber is long-lasting and tough-as-old-boots. Although someone will, no doubt, write to tell me that it is unlucky to bring it into the house.

But it is far too early to worry about such things. We must keep reminding ourselves that Christmas is a merciful marathon month away.

So let us eat, drink and be merry – and so on while there is no three-line-whip on the matter…

Talking of jollity, the Macnaughties are in prime yo-ho-ho form at the moment. Indeed, both the Cocker Spaniel and the Norfolk Terrier are bounding round like young ‘uns.

Aged 11 and 10 you would think that they might be slowing up ever so slightly. But not a bit of it.

Playing tug-the-stuffed-pheasant with each other in the kitchen. (This is a toy, by the way. We do not let our pets play fast and loose with food). Bounding up and down the stairs. Haring along the drive like crazies.

Maybe it is something in the dried food dog-mix they get. Too much protein, perhaps. Our oldest hound was completely hyper and the vet recommended adding some fancy herbal remedy to his daily rations.

It was a good thought. We persevered for months – and while it did nothing to slow Devil Dog down, it may have boosted profits at the surgery.

Poor old Jack. No longer with us, but never forgotten. Jack was completely crackers. But he was our completely crackers.

No, the Macnaughties are on top form at the moment. Walking for miles, tails wagging as they go.

Indignantly jumping round in circles at the sight of a cheeky rabbit in the garden.

They are full of the joys of spring. Then for a healthy dog, life is always springtime.

We must keep reminding ourselves that Christmas is a merciful marathon month away

And so we are nicely back to bulbs and blooms. I do not know about yours, but I checked in the cupboard and my sweet-scented purple hyacinths are just starting to sprout.

I do not think they will be flowering by Xmas. Yet the amaryllis bought at vast expense is coming on nicely.

The thing is like a triffid. We swear it grows a centimetre overnight. And when its gorgeous giant blooms appear in all their peach-coloured glory, it will be more than compensation for the fading Christmas cactus…