Flowering spring bulbs bring color, life, and vibrancy to the garden, so what better Christmas gift than a bowl full of these beautiful blooms - or why not treat
yourself? In this video, we'll show you how to plant 3 easy-to-grow bulbs. Kept indoors, they will come into flower
weeks ahead of those grown outside, cheating the seasons and bringing a
smile to anyone's face. Few people can resist the sweet, heady scent of a hyacinth in full bloom. Grown indoors, its floral aroma quickly fills a room, permeating the air with irresistible fragrance. Available in a range of colors including white, blues, pinks and yellow, hyacinths are exceptionally easy to grow. Look for specially prepared bulbs that have been pre-chilled to trick the bulbs into thinking winter has already passed. Plant the bulbs in containers or
special hyacinth jars. They can grow in any planting medium,
whether standard potting soil, wet gravel, or even water on its own. Hyacinth jars have an hourglass shape. Its pinched-in waist supports the bulb
just above the water, which sits in the bottom part of the jar. Finished with a bow, this simple gift promises to pack a
powerful punch of color and scent. Prepare your gift by pouring in water up
to the jar's waist. Now position the bulb so its base sits
just a fraction above the water below. In this way the bulb has access to
moisture without any risk of it rotting. The water will need to be topped up on
occasion to stay at this level. Pop the jar into a cool dark place - a refrigerator, cellar, or unheated garage is ideal - and keep it there until roots appear, and establish. This usually takes about 3 weeks, at which point the jar can be moved into
a bright, airy room to encourage the flowers to develop. Alternatively, arrange the bulbs in
shallow bowls or dishes filled with gravel, pebbles or anything
else that holds the bulbs upright. Plant them close together so that they
sit side by side without touching. Fill the bowl with water to the base of the bulbs, then finish off with a decorative dressing of floral marbles, colored stone chippings, bark, or any
other loose material of your choice. Paperwhite narcissi are equally easy to
grow. Each bowl produces 2 to 3 stems of
brilliant white flowers that create a decadent yet
sophisticated arrangement. Bulbs sold for indoor growing don't require a chilling period and will flower within a matter of weeks, making them ideal last-minute gifts for green-fingered loved ones. Just like hyacinths, potting
soil isn't essential when growing paperwhites. Try planting the bulbs in a clear vase filled with colored glass beads, or fill urns or planters with beads or gravel. Nestle the bulbs in position so that one
third to a half of each bulb is still visible. Don't be afraid to pack them in - this
way you'll guarantee a display with real impact. Fill the bowl with water so that the
base of the bulbs only just touch the water. Once the roots appear, you can drop the water level so it isn't
touching the bulbs. The lanky flower stems can be top-heavy,
causing them to flop over. Encourage shorter, sturdier stems by
watering your bulbs with an alcohol solution once they've established their roots
(usually within a week of planting). Mix 1 part vodka or gin to 7 parts water. Drain off the water and replace with the
mildly alcoholic solution. The alcohol makes it harder for the bulbs
to take up water. While the result is less foliage and stem
growth, the quality and quantity of flowers remains unaffected. Also known by their botanical name Hippeastrum, the amaryllis is the last
word in bold and brazen beauty. It is the traditional bulb for Christmas
giving, with its larger-than-life trumpet blooms in many colors. Plant the chunky bulbs individually into
a container slightly wider than the bulb. Amaryllises need soil to support their
roots. Fill the pot with damp potting soil, then
sit the bulb on top. Now fill in around the bulb to leave a
third of it exposed. You can hide the bulb if you prefer - - moss, bark chippings or pine cones give a lovely natural look. The thick flower stalks don't take long
to appear, with blooms following on just 4-6 weeks from planting. Accessorize potted amaryllises by adding
a luxurious bow, cut winter stems of dogwood or willow, or by planting the bulb with foliage plants. Keep the bulbs lightly moist while they
settle in, then water more regularly as they start to grow - once a week is about right. Amaryllises thrive at a warm room temperature of 70 Fahrenheit, or 21 degrees Celsius, but can be moved into a cooler room to
prolong the life of the blooms. Give flowering bulbs this holiday season and you'll be giving the gift of springtime. If you have any other ideas for flower bulb
combinations we'd love to hear about them - just drop us a comment below.