The tropical bulb, amaryllis (or Hippeastrum if you want to be pedantic) is a great brightener of the winter living room with its big, loud trumpets of red, white, pink or scarlet. Some garden centres already have them potted up and ready to go, complete with instructions. You can also buy them loose: select the biggest, least blemished bulb. Choose a shallow, wide container (with a drainage hole) made of terracotta or another weighty material - otherwise the top-heavy plant will topple. Plant the bulb to just over half its depth in a well-drained, fertile compost, such as John Innes mixed with extra grit. Soak overnight in a basin of water , with the water half-way up the pot. Drain well. Place in gentle warmth: the space on top of the fridge, at the back, is ideal. When the bulb produces a flower stem, bring it into a cool part of the room to bloom. When it stops flowering, cut the stem. Another one, with fewer flowers, will appear. When that finishes, cut it off and feed the bulb for about 8 weeks to bulk it up. Stop watering and feeding and let it rest. When dry, remove from pot and trim roots and leaves. Store in a cool place until you are ready to start over next autumn.