Since my amaryllis and paperwhites didn’t bloom for Christmas I’m now enjoying my indoor flower garden in January. This might be even better because the flowers don’t have to compete with the Christmas tree and other decorations.
East and West sun
Even though we live in a log cabin which can be kind of dark, my front door faces west so I get afternoon sun in these two windows while at the other end of my great room, the windows face east. In summer, I move most of the plants that remain inside into the east windows because of the heat. In winter, it doesn’t matter so much. I also have room for plants in my bathroom which has windows that face both east and south.
I garden all year long. The garden just moves indoors each winter.
My previous indoor flower garden
Each year, I look back at the previous year’s indoor flower garden, and I can honestly say every year is different. It looks like I didn’t post an indoor garden post in 2021, probably because of the crazy ice storms. I had my hands full just getting the property together.
So, here is a look at my indoor flower garden in January 2020. I think my amaryllis performed better that year.
‘Evergreen’ amaryllis with my red Thanksgiving cactus in 2019. 
Hippeastrum ‘La Paz’, a cybister type of amaryllis I grew in 2012.
Red or white or cybister amaryllis?
Sometimes, I grow all white amaryllis. Other years, I focus on cybister types like ‘Evergreen’ or ‘La Paz.’ They are quite eye-catching. This year red was my groove.
As for the paperwhites, this year, it’s been a real mixed bag. Some went straight to making seeds, and others didn’t bloom at all. I may not grow them next year. It did seem like all of the bulbs were extremely slow. I’ve got six or seven amaryllises growing and getting ready to flower. I guess I’ll feature them in February.
Pelargoniums a/k/a tropical geraniums
In addition to the amaryllis and paperwhites, I’m also growing pelargoniums in the house and in my greenhouse. Each fall, the pelargoniums are on the move. Some are now in flower. Others are just healthy. They are so easy to grow in winter.
If you like tropical geraniums, here is where I fell down the pelargonium rabbit hole.
Check out this post from Kevin Lee Jacobs at a Garden for the House on how he prepares his geraniums to bring them indoors for winter. This is exactly how I do it too. I always lose a couple of plants so I take cuttings and make a few more plants to hedge my bets.
Pink pelargonium with darker spots. Isn’t it lovely? It has flowered all winter. 
Pink-flowering pelargonium. Wish I knew the variety.
Begonias beckon in the greenhouse.
In the greenhouse, the begonias are flowering. I saved an angel wing–or is it a dragon wing–by taking cuttings last fall, and the other begonia in bloom is ‘Canary Wing.’ It has chartreuse leaves. I find begonias very easy to keep healthy, and I have several types.
One of my begonias which I took cuttings from. 
Begonias flowering in the greenhouse. The ones with chartreuse leaves are ‘Canary Wing.’ 
‘Canary Wing’ begonia.
Thanksgiving cactus
If you only have room for one blooming indoor garden plant, I would suggest the friendly Thanksgiving cactus. They often flower several times over the winter starting in November or December. I have a large red one, a light pink one, and this apricot one that is blooming so nicely today. It is the smallest of the three.
Well, that’s it for the indoor flower garden this month.
I wrote this post for Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day, and I appreciate Carol Michel hosting it each month even when I don’t make it to the party. I might be late this month, but I did attend.
Happy gardening friends. The days are getting longer. Hurray!
Needless to say, your indoor garden is gorgeous! I must admit, I relish my gardening rest in winter. I buy exactly one amaryllis, only the kind that comes complete with pot and soil. Otherwise I enjoy cut flower bouquets until spring returns. I do have houseplants, but I’ve been slowly getting rid of them since we’ll soon be winter snowbirds.
Robin, I wish I’d let myself rest in winter. Ha!
Alas, the stem of my amaryllis broke off – but we put it in a tall vase and it has continued to bloom – a scarlet radiance.
Pat, I love that in Dutch floristry, they sell amaryllis stalks as lovely bouquets. That would be so fun in a tall vase.
There is a lot of beauty and interest going on in your indoor flower garden, Dee. I have not tried over-wintering pelargoniums but I think I might use your and Kevin’s method next year. I remember your evergreen amaryllis from a couple of years ago–must add that to my list. P.x
Hi Dee, I am a fellow fan of Amaryllis and Thanksgiving Cactus. However, this year I have not had success with my amaryllis…yet. I bought one, Minerva I believe, which has been very slow progressing. Started it around Dec 1. Have a stalk about 6 inches tall. Two that I saved from last year lost their leave in late summer. I moved them to the garage in September, brought them out late Nov and watered once but have not gotten them growing yet. I have watered twice more when the soil was so dry. I started over with Thanksgiving Cactus. Trying to carefully monitor watering. Had a fair number of blooms, but also had a fair number of buds drop. I believe the area where I had the amaryllis and cactus may not have gotten enough sun and maybe was too cool. It has windows on three sides but no direct sun comes in the windows. I have moved the Amaryllis to the garage where grow lights are and the cactuses are in a bedroom with more sunlight. Hoping for better success next year. And I hope I can find an Apricot Thanksgiving Cactus like yours next year…Beautiful! June
I am ordering a few Begonias that I can add to the garden for some summer drama and then bring indoors. I keep thinking about scented Geraniums but don’t have as much room as I’d like for indoor things. I have ordered Geranium phaeum plants from Geraniacae (Sp). You know who I mean. And I am still amazed that she lets you pay after you get the plants.
I love seeing your winter blooms. My amaryllis started blooming the day after my daughter’s family left after being here a month to go back to India. The house had been so full of life with my grand babies but when they left it suddenly felt so empty. Then along came my beautiful blooms, just when I needed them most. I listen every week to your and Carol’s podcast and you guys definitely sent me down an amaryllis rabbit hole …so I now have 10 amaryllis with magnificent blooms making me happy. Take care you ladies are the best!!
What a joy to see all your winter blooms. I have never done much indoor gardening but I now think I must make a move in that direction as there will be less blooming outdoors. It will be a whole new way of gardening. I am making a note of the gorgeous cybister varieties. Clearly I must order them from a catalogue. Do you manage to save them year to year?
beautiful!
Thanks, Connir!~~Dee
I love all your amaryllis and winter bloomers. The Evergreen and La Paz are so exotic looking! I am trying to collect more of the unique ones as they are available. I ordered a Samba but it bloomed Minerva! Thankfully Brecks is giving me a credit but I was so looking forward to a new variety. BTW I posted about my amaryllis a couple days ago too. I just love having them this time of year!
Sonia, it’s a funny thing about amaryllis that many of them bloom something different than what they’re marked. I’ve had it happen time and again. Off to go look at yours. Have a great day!~~Dee