Do you dream of flowers just outside your door this Spring, but aren’t sure what to choose? I’m here to help you! Let’s make your spring garden your best one yet!

I want to share some of my favorite no fail gorgeous perennial flowers that will faithfully return each year bigger and better. Each of these are best planted in the early fall once the ground temperature has cooled.

Daffofils — Narcissus come in many beautiful forms and colors.

Narcissus

Commonly known as Daffodils, these flowers are easily in my top 5 favorite flowers. Have you seen all the amazing varieties?! They are harbingers of spring, bringing color to our world when winter sky still lingers. They usually bloom March-April here in zone 7b. Below are some standouts from last Spring:

Mallee- This is a butterfly variety with ruffles of pink and a soft glowing yellow center. Not only is the open face form unique, but those colors!

Flower Surprise - She’s a daffodil diva like you’ve never seen! She wears a splendid frilly skirt of pale peachy pink. Pictures don’t do her justice; you just couldn’t have too many of these!

Art Design- If you grow one yellow daffodil let it be Art Design. This one has been my very favorite to date. It’s a dreamy shade of yellow with double ruffles that brings a warm sunny feeling even on cloudy days!

Pink Charm- This trumpet daffodil is anything but ordinary. With bold pink set against ivory petals and good vase life; she’s worth every penny!

Be sure to shop for bulbs in the summer or as soon as they hit the shelves. They sell out online by fall! Plant the bulbs in the fall or anytime until the ground freezes.

Allium

Allium are the perfect geometrical pop of fun in your garden. They are also ignored by deer, but adored by pollinators! There are all sorts of colors and heights to choose from, but I’d like to point you to my favorite purple alliums.

Purple Sensation – A great shade of purple, affordable, and perfect in a bouquet, what more could you ask for? 😊

Shubertii – This is a wild one that is so unusual you will have a novelty! Shubertii has been nicknamed the Tumbleweed Onion and looks a bit like a firework exploding. Think of it as a fun garden conversation piece that will get noticed!

Globemaster- You’ll pay a pretty penny, but these Alliums are among the best. The softball sized purple blooms are sterile which makes them extra-long lasting. These can really make a statement in your garden design!

Peonies

The Queen of Spring Flowers! Although there is a higher cost upfront, these plants will produce many blooms and outlive you if they are happy and healthy. Growing peonies in the hot humid south can be a challenge so I would recommend trying the more heat tolerate heirloom varieties:

Sarah Bernhardt –She’s an award-winning double pink variety AND has a sweet fragrance. Sarah B. is a must grow!

Festiva Maxima is the peony my mother grew at my childhood home so it holds a special place in my heart. Another award winner, this fragrant heirloom peony gets huge white blooms with intermittent crimson flecks that create fantastic visual interest. Love this one!

Kansas is a gorgeous crimson red that is great for cutting. Award winning and considered one of the best double red peonies available.

Peonies can be ordered as bare roots or as started plants. The more “eyes”

one has, the more mature.

So there you have it friends; 3 fantastic fall planted flowers to have a glorious Spring in your own backyard!

Amaryllis are some of the most beautiful and impressive indoor blooms you’ll ever lay eyes on. They are such a welcome sight when all is bare outside. This has become a winter tradition for me and I think if you grow her, you’ll make amaryllis your tradition too!

Let’s jump straight in to how you grow these beauties indoors!

PLANTING

Purchase bulbs from a reputable company. The bulbs should be firm and free of mold or other signs of spoilage. There is no need to pretreat or chill amaryllis bulbs; they are ready to grow as soon as they arrive.

Bulbs purchased in fall or winter should be planted into pots using a well-drained potting soil with the bulb neck well above the soil surface. I personally only cover the bottom 1/3 of the bulb with potting soil, and then cover the soil with Spanish moss or something similar.

The pot of choice should be large enough that there is about a 1-inch clearance between the pot rim and the bulb. Amaryllis like to be “crowded”.

Clay or plastic pots may be used, but since an amaryllis in bloom can be somewhat top-heavy, clay pots provide a little more stability. A glass vase with decorative rocks in the bottom is another option. If choosing a glass vase, monitor watering carefully since a vase doesn’t have drainage holes. You’ll want to make sure the water is only at a level where the roots can access it at watering time.

Glass vases and clay pots are 2 popular container choices to grow Amaryllis

LIGHT, TEMPERATURE, & WATER

Amaryllis are tropical plants that love heat!

Place the pot indoors in a sunny window (the more sun the better). They prefer temperatures between 75-80 degrees. Water them in with tepid water, being careful not to get water on the bulb nose. No need to water again until the flower bud is about 4” high. Over watering can cause the roots or bulb to rot instead of root!

When the flower stalk begins to emerge, begin keeping the soil evenly moist. It’s also helpful to rotate the pot about one-half turn every few days so it will grow straight.

Amaryllis will grow towards the light, so be sure to turn the pot a little each day to keep straight stems.

If you provide your amaryllis with too little light, the flower stalk will grow excessively tall and may even fall over. If your amaryllis needs extra support, you can:

1- Find a cool stick from outside and stake the stalk using twine or ribbon.

2- Try adding decorative rocks until it is stabilized.

PRO TIP- Amaryllis average between 18”-24” in height. You can successfully stunt the height of your amaryllis by using a 1:10 ratio of isopropyl alcohol or vodka : water dilution when watering (1 part alcohol, 10 parts water). If you are using rocks instead of potting soil, use even less alcohol. It works!

Flowering generally occurs about six to eight weeks after planting the bulb. As a rule, it takes 4 weeks to see the bloom after a shoot emerges. Some large bulbs will produce two flower stalks!🎉 Amaryllis make wonderful cut flowers. The bloom will last just as long as a cut flower in clean fresh water as it will in the flower pot.

AFTER THE BLOOM
If you plan to save you amaryllis bulb in hopes of getting another wonderous bloom for the winter, you'll want to follow these instructions carefully.

Keep the bulbs in their pot through spring and summer, watering and fertilizing them regularly until they die back naturally. Sometime after the flower spike has emerged, leaves will grow from the top of the bulb. After the flower has bloomed and faded, cut the stalk at the point where it emerges from the bulb, but do not cut any foliage.

Continue to water and provide plenty of light. Once temperatures remain in the 70’s or higher, you can move your potted amaryllis outdoors to experience the natural cycles if you wish. Stop watering in mid- August and place somewhere dark such as a basement or closet. Allow the foliage to die back and the pot to be stored dry and in darkness for 2 months.

In November or December, bring the amaryllis back out and repeat above steps for another spectacular Winter Bloom!

Amaryllis are easy to grow once you get them settled with the right growing conditions. If you want to give it a go this winter, we have premium bulbs to choose from HERE.

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Happy Growing!

3 Must Have Perennials for Gorgeous Spring Flowers

Guide to Growing Amaryllis- A Winter Queen!