16th June 2006

The Lycoris are a genus of Nerine relatives from Asia that are a little less hardy, but no less beautiful. This one was given to me as a rather tired bulb at the end of the retail season, by a nursery that had failed to convince enough customers of its charms, which is in itself a testament to the vacuous bovine stupidity of the masses (are you listening to me, vacuous bovine stupid masses!)
It sat around in a surly fashion, feeling unloved and rejected, and then decided to produce a short unseasonal flower. It has now concentrated its effort into building bulbs and organising its affairs into appropriate seasonal categories. In the meantime, it is managing to burst a pot with enthusiasm, and I feel a great empathy with it.

12th September 2010

I have been watching a pot of leaves for a few years with no sense of great increase, so another flower was as welcome as it was unexpected.
The theory is that these like a hot moist growing season, and I am attempting to modify conditions in the greenhouse to suit them.

4th March 2019

I continue to struggle with the species so it was impossible to resist this healthy looking specimen when I ws offered it. You never know, it might be an easier form to grow!