I'm so excited for you!!
That is a great selection of bulbs you have there. Sweet Lilian is one I have not seen before.
Make sure you post some pics when they flower. Can't wait!

Thanks, Dizzy! I had never heard of Sweet Lilian before, either... Exposure is another one I haven't come across... three of my new acquisitions are already potted up... they were showing signs of new growth... the others will be done within a week, or so. As soon as the flowers appear, I'll post pictures!

I envy you for Sweet Lilian and Exposure. I cannot get it here. I hope they will be distributed in the area too. I found them on the web for $15 a piece plus shipping. How were they priced?
Though I have a "bad news" for you. The picure on the label of Vivaldi is NOT Vivaldi. Hopefully, it will bloom different for you.

Here is a pic of the true Vivaldi from the grower's site (Nieuwkerk):
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Vivaldi

I think Sweet Lilian was $9.99, and Exposure was either $16.99 or $19.99... I'm not sure. There were several at the garden center that I didn't recognize, but I didn't write anything down... I was too busy being shocked by the fact that the place even HAD bulk Hippis, and by the selection!

I will keep my eye on Vivaldi... if it flowers true, good... if not, then I'll find out what it is and re-tag it! I'm just so thrilled to have these! :-)

On the picture, it looks more like Popov, but not exactly, so I wouldn't even say it is Popov. I will continue looking for the picture that most resembles the one on your bulb's tag.

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Popov from Nieuwkerk's web site.

What a haul!! Congrats Jodik! What a great winter you're going to have!
: )

Jodi or Jodik? Probably you already have, but if not do check the forum for pollen saving techniques because you are going to have soooo many flowers and they might not all bloom at once (you hope) and you won't want to be hitting yourself over the head wishing you had a particular pollen to cross with. By the way it's inspirational to read about your hippeastrum "conversion".

Yeeeeeyyyy for Jodik!!! Nice choices you got there girlfriend. What garden center was that? Lucky you...all I have here in my area is a super Wally :-(. I would go crazy if I get to see a place selling a wide variety of amaryllis bulbs!

Yes, Sweet Lilian is new one. First time I read about it. It looks pretty.

Soultan is right, their pic of Vivaldi is wrong. Here is my Vivaldi(from JS) when it bloomed early spring this year. Very different with it's open faced flowers and very fat spathe leaves. See the Horsetail at the background Jodic?

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On the other hand, I received a Vivaldi from B&B that bloomed different and now looks like the one pictured with your bulb. It has almost the same red markings but lost the rounded flower shape of the first Vivaldi. This is a problem bulb right now.

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Maria, I'd prefer your first Vivaldi to the second one. I am afraid that my Brent & Becky Vivaldi is the same mutt disaster that you got, so I will plan to rebuy the bulb from a reputable retailer or buy it from a store that sells it with the right picture on the tag.

Thanks, Everyone! Thanks for sharing my enthusiasm! I couldn't say exactly when I became so enthralled by Hippis, but I'm glad I came here, to this forum, to learn more about them... everyone is so helpful, and it's nice to have friends with whom to share the excitement of something you love! As "busy season" approaches, I look forward to meeting more Hippi Enthusiasts, seeing more of your beautiful flower photos, and sharing more information about these wondrous bulbs!!

I plan to immediately read up on how to properly save pollen, and how to properly pollinate. As some of you may have read, my husband and I have been canine breeders for roughly 25 years, and genetics being fairly similar regardless of species, I'll be keeping extensive records and entering all my gathered data in a breeding program file. I'll be using this breeding program to glimpse into the future to "see" what the probable results will be in a given breeding. With my husband's help, I should be able to make some very interesting crosses... if Mother Nature cooperates, that is! The biggest difference between Hippis and dogs is the time span from breeding to offspring adulthood, so patience is required!

You know, I almost find it exciting to learn that my Vivaldi might not be the true Vivaldi! Just think... I've only just started collecting, and already I have a mis-labeled bulb! The photo on my tag looks very much like the flower Maria shows as coming from B&B... This is something that confuses me... Usually, the tags come from the grower along with the bulbs, so how can there be two different Vivaldis?

Just call me Jodi, Salpal, unless another Jodi shows up... then add the k to differentiate! Good to "meet" you! Yes, my conversion to Hippis has been rather interesting... imagine buying something because of it's name and ending up this deeply entrenched! It has been, and continues to be, just amazing to me!

Thanks, Jackie! I'm so looking forward to a colorful winter! It'll be a busy one, too!

Maria - The garden center is called Prairie Sun, I believe, and it's one of those that sells everything from trees to annuals, and they even have a nice selection of water garden plants and houseplants! They also have a large craft store/gift shop with everything you can imagine! It's a bit pricey when compared to buying at Lowe's or other retail store, but the quality and selection far surpasses anywhere else in town! I was actually shocked to find such a nice selection of bulbs there... I never expected them to carry bulk Hippis! You should see their tulip and daffodil bins! That's a lovely Horsetail in your photo... so big and healthy looking! What do you have it planted in?

Soultan - Thanks for checking into the proper name for my "Vivaldi that's not really Vivaldi"! As I look closer at the tag that came with the bulb, I read: Garden Joy - From Holland... and on the back, at the bottom: "Complaints? Send a letter accompanied with the package to: STICHTING KEURMERK BLOEMBOLLEN HOLLAND" and there's a Netherland's address. Should I send them a letter with a copy of the tag, stating that what they have labeled as Vivaldi is not truly Vivaldi? I really don't want to give up the bulb, but I'd be willing to write and tell them about it... what do you think?

Again, thanks Everyone, for sharing my excitement! And thanks for your suggestions and shared knowledge! This is going to be a fantastic winter! And it'll be even better because I get to share it with all of you!! :-)

Jodik,

I'd wait till the bulb flowers. Maybe they have just printed the wrong picture on the label and indeed, you have a true-to-NAME Vivaldi. Then I'd take a picture and send it with the picture taken of the bulb and the tag, then tell them to go to Ludwig's web site to check out the true Vivaldi and look into their crop and try to identify their red-white amaryllis which is definitely NOT Vivaldi. They can just sell it as "White with red stripes" or something, but don't sell it as Vivaldi.

Perhaps the printer simply put the wrong picture on the tag, and it was too late to re-print before the bulbs were shipped... who knows? I'll be happy if it blooms true to name, although, I'll be just as happy with a flower that I need to identify! Either way, it'll be pretty.

I forgot to mention... at the same time I got my new bulbs, I found those seed starter greenhouses that come with a 3-shelf unit and the plastic removable zip-up cover for $7 a piece... I bought 2 units! My husband had plans all ready to build a shelving unit for me, but I doubt we could build 2 of them for a material cost of $14! So now, I have a wonderful spot to winter over my bulbs, and I can adjust the shelves and hang my grow lights... it's perfect!

You see, growing amarylli will drive you to financial peril.

Hi guys, I'm back from Chicago and a wonderful visit with the grandbabies. The fresh cool air in Chicago was a welcome break from the hot humid Florida temps. We are still in the 90s here.

Anyway, Jodi, I am so thrilled for you honey. What a beautiful selection and the bulbs all look quite healthy. I just loved my Exotic Star that bloomed shortly after I received it last year. Some of it's petals were deformed due to it's sprouting and budding in shipment.
But it did put on a nice show.
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Hopefully it will out-perform itself this year. It has grown beautiful, healthy and long leaves over the summer.

That Vivaldi is a jaw dropper! What beautiful shape and form it has. I just tracked my Scheepers order and I should be getting my 3 new bulbs tomorrow. YIPPEE, fall is here and it's time to get back to "Amarylis Land"! Glad to see you all active with your plants and bulbs. And Soultan, thanks for the emails and updates on the Elvas and Vera you are getting for me. You are a sweetheart! (now, don't blush, I mean it!!)

Jodi,

My first Vivaldi held a surprise for me. It was on an upper shelf, so I could not see inside the bloom. I held the camera upside down to get this picture, and WOW! I was surprised when I viewed it on the computer.

I had no clue that this fellow was in there... I just wanted to see what it looked like inside!

It is so much FUN watching you get so excited! I defnitely know that feeling!!!!!!!!!!!!

Enjoy!

Eliz, what a great photo!! Did you name that lil green guy?

OH! Cindee!

I think he was supposed to be my prince, but he ran away before I could kiss him.

Awwwww...He's so cute!!! The girls would be thrilled to see one like that here. Last summer, we had a baby brown frog that was seeking refuge in my amaryllises. He would constantly dig a small hole in the potting soil and hide down there were its cool. The clay pots makes a very big difference in cooling down the roots of the amaryllises. The girls always have fun trying to find him. He would transfer from one pot to another making the girls almost memorize the amaryllises' names.

Thank you, Cindee and Elizabeth! I really am excited to see what happens this winter when my bulbs flower! And I've been doing my homework on diploid and tetraploid, pollination and pollen saving... It should be an interesting time! Hopefully, the end result will be seeds to pass around!

I love the green frog picture! What a great shot! And I know all about frogs digging in the potted plants, Maria... I've had a large toad living in the garage where I have quite a few perennials potted up awaiting garden planting... he's been digging up everything out there, but he does keep the slug population down! I just wish he wasn't so destructive, uprooting everything!

I'm glad you had a good vacation, Cindee! It's nice to get away sometimes! You left Chicago just in time... it's getting cold! It was about 40 degrees this morning, with a crisp fall wind... I woke up frozen, and the dog had all the covers!

I should add that I went back to the garden center and picked up 3 more bulbs... I couldn't help myself! I got a Hermitage, a Red Pearl and an Aphrodite! Is there an Amaryllis Anonymous Group anywhere?! I'm so totally addicted... I need help! And my husband, bless him, bought me two more of the 3-shelf mini greenhouses for $7 apiece! And he got me some Superthrive... and he's researching coco coir bales as I type this, looking for the best deal... what a darling! He says he couldn't care less about a bunch of bulbs, but I think he's secretly very into the whole scene! He'd never admit to it, though! :-)

Anyway... I'm primed for an exciting winter, filled with blooms and pollen and all that good stuff!! And I'm so glad you're all here to share it with me!!

I have chosen a very nice Elvas for you. Average sized bulb, but firm and has nice roots. I have just e-mailed you about Vera, and unfortunately, it seems like you have a choice between different sized and priced Veras, so you will have to decide. :o)

Soultan-I am so anticipating the arrivals of Vera and Elvas. I really appreciate you doing this for me. Like I need more bulbs! lol
Jodi-Chicago was truly enjoyable. We only had 1 day that made us Floridians shiver in our shoes! The babies were the BEST part of the whole trip. I am so glad to see your excitement and enthusiasm over amaryllis and indulging yourself. You are a delightful addition to this forum.

Due to some personal problems, I was not able to go to pick up your new Vera today... I will try to do it as soon as possible so I could get you the largest I can lay my hands on...

Soultan, babe, I am not worried or in any great hurry to get the bulbs. Amaryllis for me do not bloom for a while anyway, so please do not worry. Whenever you get to it is fine with me. It will be an enjoyable anticipation. Like waiting for a birthday card from someone special.

I just want to do it as soon as possible so I could get you the largest one on display... Not to mention that they have told me that they were waiting for some new bulbs, so they might have Grand Cru or Carmen for me too, so I must go.

Grand Cru is a pretty one... I'm not sure I've seen Carmen... I hope they order those for you, Soultan... I know how stores are about purchasing customer suggestions... they usually wait for several customers to request the same things!

They have Carmen right now, but only in a planting kit (water planting) for above $30. That is not worth it. I'd rather order the Jumbo Carmen from Royal Colors if I go that far in price.

I think the kits are a rip-off... they charge a lot of extra money for the box, the pot and a little bag of dirt. If the ones at Meijers had been more than $3.96 a piece, I never would have got them. Especially for the three most common varieties!

I saw a picture of Carmen today... very nice!

The kits are cheaper in Home Depot and Lowes. But the really interesting varieties are not in kits usually.
Smiths & Hawkins makes ready to go kits, so you don't have to think about putting everything together. These kits are for the modern home. They have glass vazes with rock or pebbles in them. You know: the modern way to kill a bulb. I had to go through the whole store and tell them to spill some water from the kits they put out for show, because the bulbs were sitting in the water and started to rot while shooting up the scape.
I also told them to plant a bulb that was already shooting the scape out in the gap on the package, so we opened it and planted the bulb as promptly we could. They were amazed that I knew how to handle these bulbs. They just went after their nose and put half of the bulb in water... My eyes were large when I saw those, so they asked what my problem was, and I told them. :o)

Most people who work at those places have no training or even the common sense to look up how a plant might need to be cared for... they just do what they're told and sell the products.

This past spring, Meijers garden department had lovely plants and flowers... but as time passed, things began to look really poor... the people who work there are not trained to care properly for the merchandise... they just water it and sell it... and sometimes, they barely water it!

I like to go early and choose freshly delivered plants... at that point, they are still healthy-looking and not too stressed. By the third trip to buy plants, I prefer going directly to the garden center and paying a bit more for well-cared for perennials or other types of plants.

It's not the sales people's fault, really... they are not paid enough to be horticulture experts! It would be nice, however, if they cared enough about their work quality to find out a bit about basic plant care...

Soultan - Your story reminds me of how I am when I go to my friends' homes who have house plants... I tend to walk around and pull dead leaves off their plants and check the soil for moisture... they just laugh at me... they know how I am about plants! And they always tell me to please continue... so they have nice plants!

Jodi,

I got your package today! WOW. Huge bulbs. Wonderful ones. I will have to plant Sweet Lilian as soon as possible as that one has the scape emerged dangerously, but Exposure also shows the tip of the scape. Exciting... So much to plant and so much to wait for.

And my Misty has decided to hurriedly shoot up one of the flower scapes while the other one dies back, so I am expecting it to bloom for me... I will be happy if it does anything for me after this long sleep in the fridge... I was afraid it wanted to die, but the opposite. It has firmly grabbed the soil now with its roots and decided to try to bloom. God bless it.

Soultan - I'm so glad they made it to you safely! And I'm very glad you're happy with them!

My own Sweet Lilian has a scape at least 4 inches high already! I expect it to bloom very soon! All the others have at least green leaves poking up, and a few have the tips of what are surely scapes! I'm very excited!

I remembered what you said in an email about the cocopeat holding water a little too well, so I lightened it up with some vermiculite... what a difference it made! Lighter and fluffy, just right for planting... and I added fertilizer and Superthrive as the coco disk was hydrating... as long as I keep checking the medium with my meter, I should be in good shape!

Anyway... I'm happy you like your new bulbs! :-)

I can't wait planting them. Thank you for your effort getting them for me and shipping them. I hope, I will be able to return the favor soon by shipping your bulbs to you. I am starting to grow impatient on that...

I am too! I know a lot of companies don't ship until the end of October, but I really can't wait to plant the bulbs and see the blooms!

It was no problem at all, Soultan... I'm just happy that you're happy with the bulbs we shipped... I can't wait for you to post pictures of the flowers they give you!

I am planning to make pictures of them this time... I don't know how I will manage it, but I will try. If I want to get a nice picture book or booklet together, I will have to. But what else do I want to do? Don't I have enough on my shoulders already. :o) Maybe I am proud, and want to show off what I have... So vain. :o)

My gardening skills are one of the only things I like to show off! I'm very proud of the gardens I've created and the success I've had with most plants!

I've had failures, too... many failures! But I've learned from those failures... lots of lessons to be learned in gardening!

If you take pictures of your blooming bulbs, Soultan, the benefits will be twofold... you can post them so we can ooh and ahh over them, and you will have photos for a book! You can't lose!

I am planning to take photos of all that bloom beautifully. I will ignore the ones that come out too short or too small or too sick-looking... (ignore picture wise)

If it were me, I'd probably include those small or sickly looking ones just to have a record of what happened. Then, in my records, I'd know when and what it looked like so I could correct the problem or find out what it is... but that's me... I take notes on everything! :-)

Hey Jodi, how's that new group growing? What about some photos??

Usually, I take pretty good pictures... but tonight, I just couldn't get many good shots... here are a few update photos... you can see scapes poking up in some pictures, and just leafy growth in others... and then there are the seeds I just planted... some Hippi seeds from a dear friend, and some Daylily seeds from a reddish/mauve plant in the garden... I'll try to take some better photos when the sun is up! In the meantime, enjoy!

Amalfi...
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Sweet Lilian...
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Group Shot - Babies and Young Bulbs...
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Limona...
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Group Shot - New Bulbs...
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Hippi and Daylily Seeds - Just planted...
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Thanks for looking!

Jodi, your pics are fab! Thanks for the update. The new guys look great! Limona looks like my San Remo right now, short fat and stubby scape. Keep us posted girlfriend!

Thanks, Cindee... I thought some of the pictures came out a little dark... I'd like to retake some in the morning when the sun is up!

The shorter fatter scapes are pretty large... not tall, just large! Large flowers inside? I hope so! This is so exciting, waiting for the scapes to grow and open into lovely blossoms! And this time, I get to pollinate them, and maybe get some seeds!! Yippee!