There’s something new in bulbs this year – the no water, no soil, amaryllis, guaranteed to bloom in 3-6 weeks and developed by Dutch growers, Vreugdenhill Bulbs.
The wax finish is applied by hand to specially selected bulbs which have been grown to have enough energy stored so the flower will grow without conventional feeding provided by water and soil. This technology opens up a whole new range of design possibilities both for the home and for florists decorating events and functions. They could look great hung from a ceiling and, unlike cut flowers, would stay fresh. At the moment waxing has only been done successfully with amaryllis but I’m told it won’t be long before we see other varieties of bulbs treated in the same way. I have to say that personally I like to see them grown in soil, in a group, in a pretty bowl – call me old fashioned! They’ve even got their own facebook page