Blooms Just When I Need Them

I have been rescuing plants that people throw away after the blooms have faded, mostly bulbs.  I haven’t bought any flower bulbs since my first batch was eaten by squirrels and chipmunks.  But my garden still has flowers from bulbs here and there: tulips, hyacinths and daffodils.  They were rescued from garbage bins elsewhere and now are healthy and proliferating, probably thankful for not being part of a landfill.  I realized that squirrels and chipmunks won’t eat the bulbs that have sprouted leaves.   I put the bulbs right in the ground when I got them home and subsequently none were dug up and eaten.

My rescued bulbs lately have been Amaryllis.  Once the flowers faded the plants mostly end up in the garbage.  I take them home, put them together in a bigger pot and let them be.

And, in the middle of winter, this  has blossomed.

It provides some color in the house, though white, and keeps me occupied with capturing their image.  Trapped in the house by nasty weather outside but enjoying the beauty of this Amaryllis.  Knowing this bulb is happy enough to bloom makes me happy.