Three Clowns and an Apple Blossom

May is definitely circus month for my Amaryllis.

The clowns are putting on their biggest show ever.

Monte Carlo has on its brightest red and white costume. Pink Surprise is pretty in flashy pink. Apple Blossom is the rice between spice.

Minerva has formed a crowd above the stone wall.

Minerva amaryllis

Charisma has toned down the contrast of its costume with a blending of pigments.

Charisma amaryllis

Monte Carlo refuses to blend in with the surroundings.

Monte Carlo amaryllis

Apple Blossom has too much dignity to clown around and show off.

Apple Blossom amaryllis

I consider it the amaryllis for all locations.

I love each amaryllis for its own character.

Stay tuned. There are more beside the pond surrounded by ferns.

The show will go on!

Flow

Amaryllis Outside

Don’t throw away these holiday flowers.

Save the Amaryllis/Hippeastrum bulbs until spring.

Plant them outside in a sunny location with good drainage.

Add compost to the hole and plant with the shoulders showing.

They will bloom in May or June.

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Minerva Amaryllis

Multiple stems with many flowers will show off for several weeks.

Then cut the stems and leave the foliage.

They will come back every year with more blooms.

I do add a layer of mulch in late fall in case we have a cold winter here in Zone 7.

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White Christmas Amaryllis

These are scattered around my gardens to fill in

while waiting for the daylilies to take center stage in June.

You can rescue them for 1/2 price or less in January.

Every year, I add a new Amaryllis outside.

Charisma Amaryllis

FLOWER

STOP! It’s RED

Why do we use the color red to signal stop?

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Mandevilla Sun Parasol Garden Crimson

Red has longest wavelengths we can perceive with our eyes.

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Turk’s cap/ Malvaviscus arboreus

Longer wavelengths are infrared waves, microwaves and radio waves.

We can’t see these longer waves, but can we sense them?

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I often wonder if we can feel red somehow.

Petunia
Petunia

When it is mixed with other colors it demands our attention.

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Morning glories and Cardinal Climber Vine

When it’s bright and big it makes us pause.

Charisma Amaryllis
Charisma Amaryllis

What does red light beaming at us feel like subconsciously?

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Why does it universally mean stop?

Red Hot.

Jalopeno peppers
Jalopeno peppers

Red Devil.

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“Lucifer “Crocosmia

Do we all have an ancient memory of blood red danger?

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Bleeding Heart Vine

Does red make some of us blush and make others feel angry?

Hummingbird Vine
Hummingbird Vine

How does red make us feel?

Sweet 1000's
Sweet 1000’s

I wonder…

FOLLOW the FLOWER.