Florist Amaryllis

Sakura flower amaryllis -

Amaryllis bulbs have been hybridized by inter crossing different native species from several continents. The amaryllis group of flower bulbs is among the great advancements of hybrid bulb improvement in color, size, flower form, flower number, flower bloom stalks, and repeated blooming cycles. The knowledge that cold treatment, heat, and forcing amaryllis bulbs to flower at the desired time has produced a flower bulb with an exact behavior that blooms at a predictable season. Christmas amaryllis flowers, anniversary gifts and presents, and various holiday occasions are greatly enjoyed by the predictable flowering patterns of amaryllis.

The Dutch hybridizers developed a long line of clear colors in amaryllis, some solid colored amaryllis and others with various colors of alternating stripe patterns. The Dutch amaryllis bulb market was directed toward the florist trade and growing amaryllis by forcing early flowers to bloom for the holiday season. The Dutch colorful amaryllis of red, pink, white, purple, and orange flowers won the marketing war between the Florida amaryllis growers and the Dutch growers. Huge amaryllis bulbs (mother bulbs) are 40cm in size or about the size of a grapefruit. The mother bulb amaryllis can produce as many as 4 flower stems, some stem clusters containing six flowers. The mother bulb amaryllis are rare and expensive but well worth the extra money for a flower lover. Guaranteed African amaryllis flowering can occur on flower bulbs as small as 22cm, and some of the miniature (dwarf) amaryllis new hybrids from Africa will bloom on 12cm bulbs, producing tiny stems and small flowers. The African bulbs of amaryllis will rebloom more and will produce more flower stems than Dutch amaryllis. Florists find that African flowering amaryllis are easier to flower for the Christmas season than Dutch amaryllis. African amaryllis often produce 2 flower stems at once, but Dutch bulbs don't.
The Dutch hybridizers have introduced a new amaryllis flower color: yellow, and many pastel colors with a doubling of the petal count on an amaryllis flower called a "double amaryllis." These double amaryllis flowers normally grow 12 petals instead of the normal 6. Other notable improvements that were made on the amaryllis flower by the Dutch were: larger amaryllis flowers, more blooms per stem, more stems produced by an amaryllis bulb and repeated blooming. After flowering, most Dutch amaryllis bulbs can be planted outside in the yard in zones 8-10, but the bulbs may freeze in the ground if planted in cold zones. The wholesale market of the African amaryllis is tightly controlled by Dutch bulb distributors, who have dominated bulb wholesale and retail sales throughout the United States and the world. The flower clusters of the African amaryllis are short and more compact. The leaves of the African amaryllis begin to appear simultaneously with the flowers, whereas the Dutch amaryllis period of flowering is often finished before the leaves appear. Many Dutch flower stems grow extra tall and that makes the weight of the flowers top-heavy.

Wild-flower Garden

Sakura flower garden –

A wild-flower garden has a most attractive sound. Suppose you are hunting wild flowers. As you choose certain flowers from the woods, notice the soil they are in, the place, conditions, the surroundings, and the neighbours.

Suppose you find dog-tooth violets and wind-flowers growing near together. Then place them so in your own new garden. If you wish wild flowers to grow in a tame garden make them feel at home.
Wild flowers ought to be transplanted after blossoming time is over. Surely you do not wish to bring those plants back to wait over a day or night before planting. The bed needs soil from the woods, deep and rich and full of leaf mold. Then plants are not to go into water-logged ground. Some people think that all wood plants should have a soil saturated with water.
Before planting water the soil well. Then as you make places for the plants put into each hole some of the soil which belongs to the plant which is to be put there. In the spring a hepatica plant wastes no time on getting a new suit of leaves. The soil is found to be rich and loose. If planted with other woods specimens give them the benefit of a rather exposed position, that they may catch the early spring sunshine. I should cover hepaticas over with a light litter of leaves in the fall. You'll find the hepatica blossoms all ready to poke up their heads. With a white flower which has dainty tracings of pink, a thin, wiry stem, and narrow, grass-like leaves, this spring flower cannot be mistaken. You will find spring beauties growing in great patches in rather open places.
The other March flower mentioned is the saxifrage. It is a plant which grows in dry and rocky places. Anyway, it is a rock garden plant. It has white flower clusters borne on hairy stems.
The columbine is another plant that is quite likely to be found in rocky places. The roots do not strike deeply into the soil; in fact, often the soil hardly covers them. Now, just because the columbine has little soil, it does not signify that it is indifferent to the soil conditions. I wonder if it has struck you, how really hygienic plants are? Plenty of fresh air, proper drainage, and good food are fundamentals with plants.
It is evident from study of these plants how easy it is to find out what plants like.
If you desire a flower to pick and use for bouquets, then the wild geranium is not your flower. The plant is found in rather moist, partly shaded portions of the woods. I like this plant in the garden.
There are numbers and numbers of wild flowers I might have suggested. These I have mentioned were not given for the purpose of a flower guide, but with just one end in view your understanding of how to study soil conditions for the work of starting a wild-flower garden.