The tale of the Tall and the Short

At Christmas 2014 kind friends gave me an Amaryllis in a glass bowl, the idea being that you add water and let it grow. It grew last year so this year I decided to have another go. I bought two Amaryllis Minerva bulbs from BakkerSpalding, a gang I have used for purchases online for some 18 years or so (they keep telling me this). One I planted in the very best quality compost; the other in water in the glass bowl. Planting took place on 26^th October 2015. The result is seen in the photographs. 

 

The Amaryllis in the bowl now measures 32inches from the base of the bowl to the tip of the flowers. The one in the compost is, as you will see, much shorter. This amazes me for both have been stood on the window sill in the dining room until recently when I moved them into the cooler porch at the front of the house. Why is the bulb that fed on water twice the height with far, far bigger flowers? I changed the water four times, but not the compost.

So amazing is this that I have printed out the first photograph (in full-colour, of course) and will shortly be writing a letter to BakkerSpalding, who are a friendly bunch and have  replied to my letters in the past. In fact, they tell me that I am a much valued customer (for I buy my Begonias and Arum Lilies from them each spring, drying them over winter) and they want to send me very large cheques of real money (and I do mean large!) but never do so. Perhaps they will now.

The last photograph shows my white wash today, just so that you are aware that standards have not fallen here in the Jeffries abode. The handkerchiefs did not dry fully so are now doing so indoors, preparatory to being ironed this evening after supper (Scottish Scampi, French Fries, Peas – frozen fresh from the fields – and Onions, followed by Fresh Fruit Salad – what else! – with a glass – or maybe two as it is Saturday – of Chardonnay). Non-iron shirts have dried on hangers, but I will also be ironing the tea towels, for they must look their best as they hang on the oven door, and there are two pillow cases in dark purple, too.