But First, January

The evergreen garland, the stately tree, the sparkling baubles, the quietly indulgent drapery of midwinter holiday cheer is soon to commence over here. (So much later than is usual for us, but I’ve decided this is okay.) And when it does, as always, there’ll be wild market finds mixed in - berries and seedpods, grasses and twigs - necessary counterbalance to the ribbon, the lights, and mercury glass. Wild-made and man-made working wonders together.

But first? I’m thinking of January. Quiet, peaceful, snowy January, who has nothing of this holiday fuss and frivolity. How perfect, then, would blooming paper whites be? After the hoopla has shushed and the decorations are put away, there’s one more expectancy - heady white blooms in the middle of the year’s darkest collection of days.

Yes, loves, there’s a reason I’ll always have paper whites blooming in January instead of December.

Maybe you’d like some, too?

Gather a collection of straight-sided glass vases (I found these at a local thrift shop for $1 and $2). Inside, layer 2-3 inches of small river gravel. Settle the bulbs shoulder to shoulder into the gravel, bottom side down (pointed end up), and pour fresh cool water into the vase until it’s just near the top of the stones (you don’t want the bulbs to be sitting in water). Set the vase on your table, bookcase, nightstand, or windowsill and watch the beauty happen before your eyes over the next several weeks. Be sure to add water daily as they drink it up. And, if you’d like blooms followed by blooms, stagger the plantings of your bulbs at intervals. I’m not sure who could argue with that.

Bulbs here (or from your local source).

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