FESTIVE BLOOMS
These stunning winter flowers will fill the house with scent and colour
Fill the house with scent and colour over winter
HEAVENLY SCENTED
Pretty little pots of bulbs wrapped in decorated paper and tied with twine are a great gift idea. Plant bulbs close together in pots filled with bulb fibre, try Narcissus papyraceus ‘Ziva’, £8.99 for 10 bulbs, crocus.co.uk. Make sure the growing tips are protruding just above the top of the compost. Then put them in a cool, dark place for eight weeks before bringing them out.
BIG & BOLD
The beautiful showy blooms of hippeastrum (also known as amaryllis) look wonderfully festive in a simple, modern arrangement. Their rich colours and structured look make a strong statement for the Christmas table. Alternatively, mix some branches of silver birch or pussy willow in among the flower stems for a more relaxed feel. Put in an early order from the florist if you want cut stems. Or grow the bulbs in pots of compost indoors from October to January. Position in a well-lit spot and water sparingly until the new leaves develop, then more regularly. The bigger the flowers the more the plant will need staking. Try a decorative Amaryllis support, £8.50, Sarah Raven.
COOL & CONTEMPORARY
If you like a minimal look, group together pots of crisp white hippeastrum to create a stunning seasonal table display. Try ‘Snow Queen’, £9.99 a bulb, Waitrose Garden, which produces several huge blooms with a slash of lime at the heart. ‘Alfresco’ has double white flowers on shorter stems, £10.95 a bulb, Sarah Raven, making it ideal for a project like this. Arrange the pots in a box and dress the tops with a layer of moss.
MODERN CLASSIC
This twist on the traditional red poinsettia brings it bang up to date, fitting perfectly with the flower trend for soft neutrals that’s been so big this year. Poinsettia like a light spot, but not bright sunshine, and the soil should always be slightly damp. If the leaves turn yellow and drop off, move to a cooler spot and it should soon perk up again. Grown in the UK, they tick the box for sustainability, too. Available from plants4presents.co.uk
CHRISTMAS STAR
The delicate blooms of hellebore make a stunning winter houseplant as well as being a star in the seasonal garden. There are varieties such as ‘Winter Beauty’, £30, plants4presents.co.uk, that have been bred to thrive indoors and will look beautiful styled up with some cones and pine foliage. Keep them as cool as you can and make sure they get plenty of natural light. Adding a layer of moss to the pot will help keep the compost damp. Remove faded flowers and old foliage.
ELEGANT CENTREPIECE
Pink hyacinths get a sophisticated makeover when layered with a mix of succulents and mini cyclamen in this elegant indoor arrangement. Add textured bark, pine cones and wire stars to introduce a festive feel. Choose prepared hyacinths, such as these ‘Pink Pearl’, £4.99 for three bulbs, crocus.co.uk, if you want to have flowers for Christmas. Prepared hyacinths will fill the room with their intoxicating scent for weeks.