Amaryllis Belladonna

My mother grew amaryllis and took the bulbs with us wherever we moved. They would disappear for much of the year then lush green leaves would sprout up and like green pompoms cover the ground. It was nice to see that green along side of our house in our mostly brown dirt yard. The green would die down and there would be dry brown earth. A few weeks later, like something magical stems with brown pods pushed up out of the dry ground. Soon the pods would split and lovely pink flowers bloomed several from each pod.

I never got some of my mama's amaryllis bulbs to plant and always missed them. Then someone gave me a big bunch of the bulbs with the green leaves still attached. I didn't know if they would grow but planted them anyway. I was managing the storage then and had only a large brick planter for them. They grew but didn't bloom the first year, but did the second. I was a happy camper. I looked forward to seeing the pretty pink flowers bloom in summer. One year my dogs got into the planter and dug up the bulbs. I found some white garden border fencing and put it around the edges of the planter. I forgot to dig up the bulbs when I left the storage. Maybe the new owners would not have liked it...I didn't ask, and I didn't take my amaryllis bulbs. A couple of years ago I found some pink amaryllis bulbs for sale at local nursery. I bought three bulbs and planted them in two large pots. They bloomed last year and now are blooming again. The bulbs have divided too so have more amaryllis this year.

 I told a friend that these always remind me of something from outer space!