Plants for Christmas Presents

[OverWyreGrower]

Hiya

We're going to put together some little hampers/baskets for presents for the family at Christmas...

I have never grown plants before, so I need some help!

Is there anything I can plant from seed or bulb in pots that will have sprouted and be on its way to growing by Christmas? Something nice that people can either put in a pot or in their gardens?

Cheers

Shelley

[Slug]

Good thinking OWG - what a nice idea

You can get the Paper White variety of daffodils which are meant for indoor growing, which flower in the winter - you can force them to flower earlier in the winter. They are small daffs with quite a few heads on each stalk - and the smell is gorgeous. I don't know if they'll flower exactly at Christmas, but I know I bought some for a friend last year and they flowered just after christmas and looked lovely.

Here's a link to see some piccies (at the bottom of the link) of paper whites:

http://www.theplantexpert.com/spring...perwhites.html

You can also do Hyacinths.... get them started early to get a nice show at Christmas. I'm sure Nick can mention a few Christmas flowering cactii too!

I'm sure there are plenty more.... but they're what I can think of at the moment

[Shortie]

What about getting cuttings goign of Rosemary and Lavender? not sure if they will take in time - or yuo could get them prepared and on0way for next year?

[nick the grief]

you could always buy some plug plants of primroses & pansies & do some winter hanging baskets

[Birdie Wife]

I think I saw something on the telly about forcing spring crocuses? Or maybe it was indoor crocuses? I've grown Iris reticulata 'Katharine Hogkin' with pearly blue crocuses and they worked quite well together - you could try forcing these or other combinations of very early spring bulbs.