Surprise your friends and neighbours with an arrangement of Christmas roses for the festive season! Beautiful blooms at a time when little else is available. From seed you can have a group quite close together in a way which would cost you a great deal if you bought the plants. They flower in about three years from seed and invariably produce stronger, healthier plants.
Sow any time of year in a 7.5cm (3in) pot of seed compost or a free draining peat/sand mix. Sow the seed on the surface of the compost and cover with a little well rotted leaf mould or fine peat. Cover the pot with glass and place in a coldframe or sheltered position with the pot sunk up to its rim in soil. Germination is very slow and can take up to 18 months.
Harmful if eaten/skin irritant