Stepping out of my back door in Spring into a tapestry of colour, I am met with a majestic sight. An abundance of pink and white (Apple Blossom) Hippeastrum capture my attention. Heroes in my garden for just a few weeks, the flowers bloom and multiply like clockwork every year. Hippies do best with protection from strong winds as their tall, sturdy stems are hollow. How disappointing it is when the huge flowers can be standing tall one day then knocked to the ground the next. My Hippies nestle under my sprawling Dracaena in amongst rambling Nasturtium. Native to South America and the Carribean, Hippeastrum bulbs grow very well in the Northern Rivers.