These incredibly brilliant red flowers in the above picture are amaryllis. Guess from where I got them. I rescued them from my church’s dumpster after the Christmas holidays three years ago!
I brought two pots of them home, trimmed their wilting leaves, and put them in the ground, hoping that, like most bulbs that spend their winters in cool dirt flower beds, they would reward me with blooms come spring.
Sure enough, they poked out their strong spikey leaves on cue right when the ground was warming up. Each following year since their initial “home-coming,” they’ve multiplied and now I have a brilliant crimson patch of amarillys growing in front of other early blooming spring perennials. They put on quite a show and I chuckle every time I see them knowing their origin story!
Amaryllis are popular, large flowered bulb plants known for their dramatic trumpet-shaped blooms and are popular Christmas gifts. Lately I’ve seen them with the bulbs covered in red wax and nestled in small clear glass containers. They are forced to bloom indoors around Christmas, even though they are early spring bloomers in their natural habitat.
I’m sure I could do the same with Easter Lillies. So if any of you out there are given a potted Easter Lilly this holiday, please pass it on to me or stick it in the ground before throwing it away in your nearest dumpster!
From what odd sources have you gotten free plants?
Buried deep in autumn’s brown,
In pockets tucked beneath the town,
Small brown tear-shaped, papery spheres.
Sleeping through the frosty years
They know no cold, they know no gloom,
They only dream of coming bloom.
Then March comes with mud and rain,
And pulls them into light again.
A spear of green, a tiny tip,
Escaping from its icy grip,
The snowdrop, crocus, and merry tulips
stand in a silent row.
No fanfare when they first emerge,
Just courage on the winter’s verge,
Tucking secrets under earth,
To wake in colors, full of mirth.
And turn the garden, sad and gray,
To joyful colors, come what may.