Something That Blooms in December

In December the days get so short that you sometimes go to work in the dark and come home in the dark. The garden sleeps. The balcony is bare. Everything green seems to have gone somewhere to wait.

And then, on a windowsill, something decides to bloom anyway.

1. A Plain Brown Beginning

An amaryllis starts as nothing much: a big brown bulb, a little dry, a little ugly, like an onion that has given up. You put it in its pot, give it some water and a bright spot, and for a while nothing happens. Then a green tip appears. Then a stem that grows so fast you can almost watch it. And one morning, in the darkest weeks of the year, there are flowers. Big, bright, almost unreasonable flowers.

2. Why It Makes Such a Hopeful Gift

For someone having a hard winter, advice rarely helps. But a bulb on the windowsill says something without saying it: wait a little. Something good is on its way. Every day there is a small, visible change, and on hard days a small visible change can matter a lot.

I wrote about waiting in Every Light Turns Green. The amaryllis is the same lesson, only greener.

3. Honest Notes

It usually takes several weeks from bulb to flower, so give it early if you want it to bloom for the holidays. Turn the pot now and then so the stem grows straight, and a tall stem may need a small stick to lean on. Amaryllis is not safe for pets to chew, so keep it out of reach of curious noses: Tobby only admires plants from a respectful distance.

4. How to Choose

Choose a kit with a large, firm bulb and a pot that won’t tip over when the stem grows tall.

Even in December, something can still decide to bloom.

What helps you get through the darkest weeks of the year? You can tell me.

Looking for more ideas? See the Gift Guide →