From Section Two, Plant Displays:
Spring-flowering Displays

As soon as the worst of winter is over, how nice it is to see the early spring bulbs and spring flowering houseplants in the garden centers.While many bulbs are traditionally considered as outdoor features, some can be grown successfully indoors.

Bulbs, such as dwarf narcissi, crocus, and hyacinths, appear in the stores in bud well before any of the spring bulbs in gardens show through. These bulbs have been forced, but once you have enjoyed them inside the house you can plant them outside in the garden to flower again the following year. After they have finished flowering, remove any dead flowers. When the fear of frost has passed, transfer them to the garden, keeping their leaves intact, where you must feed them with a high potash fertilizer every two weeks to encourage them to flower well into the following year.

Primula obconica, with its delicate petals, makes a lovely spring plant for the kitchen windowsill. When the flowers eventually die, you can encourage extra flowering by placing the plant in a cool conservatory or on a frost-free porch where, after a short rest away from the central heating, a second flush of flowers will soon appear.

The hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) is a popular spring plant, which makes a nice change from some of the smaller flowering specimens. Although you tend to buy these plants in spring, they will flower well into the summer months if given the correct treatment. Hydrangeas need a great deal of moisture, preferring rainwater to hard tap water, and they are best placed in a flat-bottomed container so they can absorb water freely. Surround the plants with damp moss to encourage humidity and keep them in a cool, bright situation. After they have finished flowering, prune back the stems and repot them into a larger container. These plants benefit from a short stay in the garden during the summer months. Simply bury the pot in a shady part of the garden, watering and feeding periodically with a high potash feed. In fall, bring the plant indoors to a cool, frost-free room and reduce watering to encourage the plant to rest. In early spring, gradually increase watering to bring the plant back into flower once again.

The following plants all flower in spring:

Amaryllis (Hippeastrum hybrids)
Azalea (Rhododendron simsii)
Begonia x hiemalis
Blue-flowered torch (Tillandsia lindenii)
Clivia miniata
Crocus cvs.
Flamingo flower (Anthurium scherzerianum)
Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis)
Hydrangea macrophylla
Lotus berthelotii
Narcissus cvs.
Paper flower (Bougainvillea glabra)
Parodia chrysacanthion
Primula abconica
Red crown cactus (Rebutia miniscula)
Shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeeana)
Shrubby verbena (Lantana camara)
African hemp (Sparrmannia africana)
Tulips (Tulipa cvs.)
Urn plant (Aechnea fasciata)

Line of three
Three pots of yellow primroses have been placed in this twiggy pot holder to make a pretty feature. Keep the plants well-watered by removing their pots from the holder and submerging them in water. These plants will not last long inside, but will recover if put outside for a short time, away from central heating and dry air.

Scented basket
Forced Dutch hyacinths provde a welcome splash of color and wonderful fragrance early in the year. If the flower heads are heavy, insert a few twigs to give extra support. Here, the necks of the bulbs are hidden by fresh moss.

Indoor window box
The delicate yellow heads of Narcissus 'Tête-a-tête' look very attractive displayed in this wire basket, which has been made waterproof by lining it with plastic and fresh moss. When flowering has finished, the bulbs can be planted outside.