Hyacinthus

From Christmas to New Year, then to Chinese New Year, not to mention SW entering Primary School and the adjustments to the various routines, it's been a hectic beginning of Twenty 11!  Nevertheless, it is just as important to indulge myself with the little pleasures of everyday life - trying an indoor plant, the Hyacinthus (丰信子).

It was by chance during the Lunar New Year shopping at Chinatown that I came across the bulbs.  Being rather risk adverse in handling 'a new life', I tried to get as much information as I could from the old lady boss who had every good thing to say about the plants that I became skeptical.  Questions like:

"How long will they last?"
"When will they bloom?"
"Will the flowers wither before Chinese New Year Eve?"
"How long will the flowers remain in bloom?"
"Should I pick this one with the flowers or the one without?"
"What about the colour?" There were light pink, darker pink, violet...

For S$15 a pot, I guess I was lingering longer than the average customer.  But I was determined to get one, despite the fact that it was starting to drizzle.

Finally, I picked one that showed buds, with varying heights, and relatively large bulbs.  I didn't want to take the risk of the flowers withering before Chinese New Year Eve as I was expecting relatives over.

 "These plants don't need much watering.  And when you do, just put an ice cube right in the middle. "  Explained the patient old lady boss.

The speed at which the bulbs grew took me by surprise.  The plant was straight up when I brought it home. The following morning, the flower stalk grew several inches and leaned to one side.  I grabbed my camera and followed its bloom.

By first day of Chinese New Year, the flowers were fully bloomed and got so heavy I used a ribbon to keep them together.