A Christmas Story

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This Christmas story wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for the fact that I love my Wonderful Husband…And, because I love my Wonderful Husband, I want to make him happy…And because I want to make him happy, I want to give him presents that are special. Not necessarily expensive presents, but thoughtful presents – not just another tie, or sweater, or the latest multi-function gadget “As Seen on TV”.

So… about five years ago, just before Christmas, I’m wandering around the local Targét, picking up Stocking Stuffers and knowing, just knowing, I need to get something more for my sweet Wonderful Husband, who (have I mentioned this?) I love dearly.

Gardener is as Gardener does

Being a gardener, I found myself wandering around the Smith and Hawken section, drooling over copper watering cans and cutesy garden gnomes, when I think “PAPERWHITE NARCISSUS! He LOVES paper white narcissus!”

I’d just seen some paper whites around the next aisle, so I happily trotted over to where I thought I’d seen them. And there they were, but…but…BUT right above the paper whites were amaryllis bulbs, red ones going by the photo on the package. Didn’t I say I was going to get my darling Wonderful Husband paper whites?

What changed my mind? One amaryllis bulb had decided that with or without soil, with or without water, with or without sunlight…IT WAS GOING TO BLOOM! So the determined bulb had sent up a flower stalk which pushed its way through the tiny crack where the lid folded onto the bottom of the box, a crooked pale stem with a big bud on top – full of the promise of red blooms.

I had to respect any plant so determined to live and bloom, so instead of paperwhite narcissuses, my Wonderful Husband got a rescued amaryllis bulb. He accepted it gracefully, but with a puzzled look on his face. I planted it in soil, fed it, sat it in the south window and watered it faithfully. Sure enough, in mid-January, the determined little plant bloomed – two bright red, trumpet shaped trophies of tenacity.

The After

After the blooms had faded, I thought, “Now what?” Being a gardener (had I mentioned that already?), I am reluctant (to the point of compulsiveness) to discard a plant with a root attached. So, it sat in the window and I watered it, carefully arranging its floppy rabbit ear looking leaves and occasionally questioning my sanity.

But, after the next Christmas, in mid-January, that amaryllis shot up another flower stalk and we enjoyed the bright red blooms during an otherwise gray and dreary month.

The third January, it bloomed again, with at least 4 flowers. Were we being rewarded for rescuing this plant? I think so! Our Christmas story paid off.

It just had its fifth anniversary. It has two baby bulbs and is so big, it looks as if it is going to crack the clay flower pot it’s in…and we had FOUR flower stalks last year!

I’m gonna have to re-pot this thing! Have I mentioned I’m a gardener and I love my Wonderful Husband?

May You and Yours Share All the Joys and Blessings of this Season!

Meet Dona Bergman

Dona Bergman is a founding member, Southwest Indiana Chapter of the Indiana Native Plant & Wildlife Society, and an Advanced Master Gardener.

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