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Nerine bowdenii
The green strappy leaves of this bulb appear in March, poking out of the desiccated tops of the bulbs. The bulbs should be planted shallowly with the neck of the bulb level with the soil. The leaves stay until August or September and then disappear. In October the flowering stem emerges from the bulb and flowers from October through to November. Each stem carries about seven to nine individual "Barbie pink" trumpet like flowers, with the petals crimped and reflexed. The pink colour is striped along the length of the petal as can be seen in the photograph. The flowering stem is about 30 cm in height. The bulb does best in a dry sunny spot, favouring best the conditions at the foot of a south facing wall. It does, however, survive in my damp soil. I put this down to the facts that it is planted in the top part of the sloping garden (which enables water to run off) and also because it is planted in a gritty soil mix beside the reclaimed concrete path.
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