A potted amaryllis bulb makes a beautiful centerpiece for your Christmas table, or a lovely gift for a special friend. Amaryllis (also known as Hippeastrum) is a summer-flowering bulb that grows quickly and is easy to take care for. If you plant one in a pot now, you’ll have beautiful blooms in just five weeks’ time.

Here’s a quick guide to planting and caring for these spectacular bulbs:

• You’ll need: amaryllis bulbs, a pot, gravel or drainage chips, good quality potting soil and a decorative much to place on top of the soil.
• First place the gravel or drainage material at the bottom of the pot, then half-fill the pot with potting soil.
• Hold the bulbs in the pot with their roots pointing down and gently fill in the area below and around the bulbs with soil. Be careful not to damage the roots as they are very delicate.
• Gently firm the soil in place. The top of the bulbs should just stick out above the surface of the soil.
• Water the pot well and firm the soil down again.
• Place your amaryllis in a warm, light position and remember to rotate the pot as the stem grows to prevent the stem from bending in the direction of the strongest light source.