ALONG with hardy spring flowering bulbs like tulips and daffodils, bulbs of amaryllis or hippeastrum are now appearing in shops and garden centres.

With regal flowers of enormous proportions, they are amongst the easiest late autumn and winter flowering houseplants to grow on the living room window ledge.

If you are used to planting narcissus or tulips, you will get quite a surprise when confronted by the giant amaryllis bulb. Even modest bulbs may be four inches across and rather like a grapefruit. It is the specially prepared ones that are appearing in the shops now which can be planted immediately for Christmas flowering.

Amaryllis produce large trumpet-shaped flowers in vivid colours which are carried on a stout stem above narrow green leaves. These blossoms are already present within the bulb as embryo buds when you buy it, so the bigger the bulb, the larger the flowers you are likely to get.

Surprisingly amaryllis do not require an enormous pot in order to flourish. Unlike most other houseplants they benefit from being tightly potted. Use a John Innes compost No2 and when potting allow just enough room to pack the compost down the side between bulb and pot with your fingers.

Stand the pot in a light sunny window and water regularly, using a high potash liquid feed, such as that recommended for tomatoes once flower buds are seen. Bring the pot back into the room during the evening, for amaryllis are not happy with the cool conditions behind closed curtains.

After flowering, remove the old stem close to the bulb, but continue feeding until the middle of summer. Regular feeding, combined with healthy foliage will build up the bulb for the following year. Aim to have at least four good strong leaves all the time and next year's blossom is assured.

Although in their native South Africa amaryllis continue to grow all the year round, under cultivation a short resting period is useful. In late summer withhold watering and place the pot on its side in a cool well ventilated place, until the foliage has died back completely.

Amaryllis that have been grown for a season, as distinct from the prepared bulbs currently being sold in garden centres, can be restarted into growth in another five or six weeks using fresh compost and placing them in a warm environment. Given this treatment they will produce a magnificent show annually.

Most gardeners begin by growing unnamed bulbs, but the enthusiast will seek out some of the very fine named varieties. Lovely sorts like the pale pink Apple Blossom, red and white Minerva and the vivid Orange Sovereign.

In recent years Wonder Amaryllis have been a regular feature in florists and garden centres. These are presented as a breakthrough in cultural technology, whereby the bulb that you purchase is already established in a pot with a one year old root-ball.

All you do when you get the pot home is to add water and place it on the window ledge. Stand back and let nature take care of the rest.

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Q A bad storm the other evening brought my clematis off the wall and it is difficult to get it back. Can I cut it back now and if so will it survive?

A Now is not a perfect time to cut clematis back, so only cut back as hard as you need to. It will certainly re-sprout.

Q I put my Boston fern out in the sun recently to get some fresh air but it has turned brown. Will it recover?

A Yes. Cut back all the brown foliage, keep well watered and in a shady place in the house. It should soon recover.