Christmas is a time for cheer, tinsel and baubles, but you can also bring some nature into your home. Here are a few festive plants to keep the holiday cheer going until Santa comes:
- Amaryllis
This beautiful bright red flower will explode into trumpet-shaped flowers. You can either buy the plants or grow them yourself. Choose one that is just about to bloom. Also available are snowy white, dark red, red-striped, and blood red varieties. You’ll find one to suit your style. When you want Christmas blooms, visit a Florist Tewkesbury like The Flower Shed, a leading Florist Tewkesbury.
- Galanthus plicatus, or “Three Ships”
This variety of snowdrop is the most Christmassy flower you can find. The price is high and they are difficult to find, but they produce buds in December. The flower matures and the petal thickens, revealing a green inner mark in the form of a cross. This flower is the best for Christmas Day because the cross appears right on time.
- Real Christmas Tree
No matter if you are a first-time buyer or an experienced one, there is nothing like the scent of pine in your home. They do require some upkeep, but for many families the watering and decoration becomes a pleasant ritual. They purify the atmosphere, add to the festive spirit and smell great.
- Poinsettia
This colourful plant, which is native to Mexico, is often seen in homes around Christmas. The bright red variety is the most common for Christmas decorations. Both cheerful and hardy plants, they prefer lots of light and not direct sunlight and should be watered sparingly.
- Narcissus – Cedric Morris
Yellow flowers are not what you would think of when you picture Christmas. However, if you’re looking for a way to add variety to your decorations, this delicate flower will be able to bring you joy. These flowers look like mini-daffodils and are usually in bloom by Christmas. The outer petals are a bright yellow that fades to green, matching the stem. Sir Cedric found it growing between rocks in Spain.
- Paperwhite narcissi
Planting these by mid-October will still allow you to have them bloom in time for the Christmas season. These snow-white flowers are a beautiful addition to any festive display. Fill a half-full glass vase or jar with coloured glass beads, pebbles or gravel and arrange between 5-10 bulbs. Be sure to place them pointed-end up, with the bulbs separated from one another and only about a third visible. Store the bulbs in a dark, cool place until they bloom. Water them until just below their base.
