Paperwhites

Every year in late fall the stores are full of these bulbs. If you put the little dried roots pointing down and cover the bulb halfway up with little stones or sandy dirt, add water and warm sunlight, they will sprout and bloom in time for the holidays. I love the delicate color and frilly petals!

The only problem is, the flowers have an unusual odor that some people do not like.

When they bloom, my husband enters the kitchen and wrinkles up his nose suspiciously.

"Do we need to change the kitty litter box???"

I force amaryllis bulbs too, but they don't bloom until Christmas. And they have no odor at all, so he likes those better!