Garden

Create a Santa-themed Pot with an Amaryllis Bulb

Add a sprinkle of holiday cheer to your amaryllis bulb with this Santa-themed "Santaryllis"

By /

Credit: Carol Pope

This Santa-inspired pot adds plenty of cheer to a regular amaryllis bulb

Turn a regular amaryllis bulb into a holiday-themed Santaryllis

As the holiday season approaches, there’s nothing nicer than finding ways to involve the children we love in the making of homemade decorations.

As my kids were growing up, we often found ways to connect the garden to our winter celebrations, trudging through the yard with pruners and scissors to gather clippings for crafting evergreen wreaths, stringing up allium ornaments (check out this idea in the wonderful book of fun family garden projects, Everyday Eden), strewing cones and richly scented cuttings of sage and rosemary on windowsills, and baking everything from garden-herb focaccia to fennel-seed biscuits.

That’s why I loved this creative idea from the folks at digdropdone.com: why not plan to plant up a Santaryllis with your family for a ho-ho-ho lot of fun!

What do you get when you plant an amaryllis bulb in a Santa-themed pot? A Santaryllis, of course. A potted amaryllis makes a wonderful gift for friends, family and hostesses during the holidays.

And although any old pot will do, a decorated container gives the recipient something to enjoy while waiting for the amaryllis to produce its striking blooms.

Santa flower pot materials

Materials

  • Amaryllis Bulb
  • Terra-cotta Pot & Saucer (7 in. diameter x 6 in. high)
  • Red Paint
  • White Faux Fur (2 in.x 24 in)
  • Black Ribbon (1 in. x 22 in.)
  • Scissors
  • Buckle
  • Glue
  • Potting Soil

Santa Pot Instructions

  1. Paint pot and saucer red. Let dry.
  2. Dot glue onto centre of ribbon and adhere ribbon to middle of pot.
  3. With scissors, cut small slits every 3 in. along the bottom of ribbon. (This helps keep ribbon flat.)
  4. Continue to glue ribbon around circumference of pot.
  5. Adhere buckle to ribbon with glue.
  6. Glue fur along top rim of pot.

Planting the Amaryllis Bulb

  1. Fill pot two-thirds full with potting soil.
  2. Place bulb on top and add a little more soil (Two-thirds of bulb should be exposed.)
  3. Add 1 cup water to soil.
  4. Place pot in sunny area, indoors.
  5. Add ½-1 cup water every few days to keep soil moist (but not soaking wet).
  6. Watch it grow! It takes approximately 6 weeks to bloom.