Plant of the Week: Amaryllis

The glamorously showy six-pointed blooms of amaryllis in every shade from festive scarlet to purest white are a treat for the eyes in midwinter, brightening up many a Christmas windowsill.

If you’re lucky enough to receive one as a gift (you can always treat yourself to one from the garden centre if not!) pot up the bulbs in well-drained compost so the roots are covered but the neck and shoulders are above ground level. Give it a bright, warm windowsill free of draughts, keep watered and feed weekly as it grows. Six weeks later your reward is a spectacular flowering of huge, exotic, breathtakingly beautiful blooms.