The platter of paperwhite narcissus bulbs from last week have all found their way to containers. These bulbs really are such hearty things. They will grow in just about anything, and the growing process is really such a cool thing to witness. This year I decided to use champagne corks as the filler around the bulbs. Champagne holds a very special place in my heart, as well as our home, so at this festive time of year it seemed fitting. Truly, many objects will do–oysters shells, rocks, marbles. I also try and place the bulbs in glass containers that have fairly high sides, as this helps keep the leggy stems from toppling over when they start to get quite tall. One of my favorite parts is watching the roots take off, and start to swirl and intertwine around the base of the container. Keep the water level just to the base of the bulb, and the paperwhites will just grow & grow, the intoxicating scent filling the air once the bulbs have flowered.

Paperwhite narcissus bulbs have started showing up these past few weeks at garden centers and even the flower section of our local grocery store. If you have not worked with these lovelies in the past, pick a few of the bulbs up the next time you see them. You won’t be sorry. They are the easiest darn things to get to flower, and the scent will fill your home with Holiday goodness. I completely associate paperwhites with the November/December holiday season. The delicate little white flowers just adding to the festiveness of the time of year. They are also quite fun to watch grow. The vintage large glass jar is my choice each year for a container at home in town. I also have a pot or 2 growing at each shop, so customers can enjoy them. I will post in a week or so a few photos of how quickly they start to grow and the beauty of the process.

A container filled with paperwhite narcissus bulbs just makes me happy. It also is a signal that the Holidays are rapidly approaching for most folks, and if you are a retailer like me, that means they are well underway. The papery white petals and intoxicating scent fill the shops and our home, adding that bit of green I long for in the beginning of these cooler months.

Not only are they pretty and smell great, they are also one hearty little bulb, and are incredibly easy to grow. This first round I brought home went directly into one of my favorite vintage glass vessels. It is a quite large, quite thick jar that sits on our kitchen counter and has a festive green lid. I lined the bottom of the jar with oyster shells from a prior oyster-fest we had. These help to elevate the bulbs so they are not sitting too deep in the water. I find it best to really crowd the bulbs and have them butting up to one another, as once they start to grow, it helps them from falling over. I then put a few extra oyster shells in any spots where there was still room, as I really like to see a bit of the shell once the bulbs start their magic. You then add just enough water so the bottom of the bulb is touching the water. You will be amazed at how quickly these little guys take root. We are off and running. It is as easy as that. Just make sure the water level remains as it started, and you are good to go.

Oyster shells are but one filling option. You can use rocks, marbles, whatever you like–as long as it elevates the bulb a bit. I also find having them in a tall necked container is helpful, as once the stems become leggy, they rest on the walls of the container, and don’t fall over, which is a common complaint I hear about these lovelies.

This will be one of several posts in the coming months about paperwhite narcissus, because I just love them, and I just love finding different ways to have them around. Enjoy!

A happy Friday to all. Please stop in this afternoon or tomorrow for the wonderful Dempsey & Carroll trunk show if you can.