Paperwhite Narcissus as Marker

November 18, 2013

20131118-064618.jpg We can have the shops decked out in holiday finery for weeks, but it not until I get my hands on potted paperwhite narcissus plants and scatter them about and work them into displays do I really feel the ‘Holidays’ with a capital H are here. They are a happy marker of the season to me.

20131118-065019.jpg The shipment of vintage Champagne buckets was perfectly timed, as the plastic pots slipped every so easily right into the buckets making them easy to work into displays.

20131118-065215.jpg I find paperwhite narcissus in a variety of ways. This time, I found them in plastic pots already starting to bloom. This is a great way to get a quick it right out of the gate. Within a day, the flowers started to open and scent the shops with their heady, oh so distinctive scent. Which I adore.

20131118-065539.jpg I also find them in terra cotta pots in dirt already planted. You might remember a window display we did many months ago where we used 100+ terra cotta pots? They were leftover and saved from the many years of paperwhite holiday displays. These tend to be a bit smaller in scale, and are easy to tuck into tight displays.

20131118-070057.jpg And then of course, I just buy the bulbs and start them in glass containers too. This might be my favorite way of buying paperwhite narcissus, but this is also the most amount of work–but oh so worth it. I like to use Champagne corks, oyster shells or rocks to weigh down the bulbs and create a cool visual bed. The glass container allowing all to watch the amazing roots start to take hold and create a dance among each other, the roots intertwining. There are many ways to enjoy these flowers, and I will do all the above in all the forms from now until the first few weeks of the new year, loving every moment of them.

Happy Monday all!