Paperwhites on the Bench (gouache style)

Paperwhites, Narcissus papyraceus, are a tender relative of the daffodil from the Mediterranean region, with clusters of small, white, strongly scented flowers. Unlike most narcissi, they don't need a cold spell before flowering, so they're easy to grow indoors. The amaryllis sold for Christmas is really Hippeastrum, a bulb from South America; the true Amaryllis is a different, South African plant. Hippeastrum's big trumpet flowers come in reds, pinks and whites.

For flowers at Christmas, plant paperwhites from late October into November, setting the bulbs close together in pots of gravel or bulb fibre with their noses showing. Keep them cool and bright so the stems don't stretch and flop, and expect flowers several weeks later. Pot hippeastrum bulbs in autumn with the top third above the compost, water sparingly until growth starts, then keep the compost just moist. After flowering, cut off the spent stalk, feed while the leaves grow, then let the bulb rest.

The picture is set on a potting-shed bench, with white paperwhites and a red amaryllis among twine, gloves and a trowel. It shows the working side of Christmas flowers, before the pots go indoors. Red and white are the colours of the season, and the tools are a reminder that these bulbs were potted up by hand weeks earlier.