Amaryllis 'Dancing Queen' OK, I know it's not roses but the color is appropriate, right? Sometimes a photographer just has to work with what's at hand. Besides, it does not hurt to break tradition once and a while. 

Winter for us gardeners gets pretty bleak and boring at times, especially right now in Kansas. Two years into a severe drought, which I have heard, may continue at least another year and not hardly a snowflake in sight so far. I decided to give my spirits at least a temporary boost. It had been many years since I had forced the big flowering amaryllis bulbs into winter bloom. I saw one named 'Dancing Queen' listed in a mail order catalog and it was touted as having a large double flower. It looked so spectacular I just had to give it a try. I certainly was not disappointed. The bulb bloomed it's little heart out with a total of ten 8-9" flowers. Wow! I am actually looking forward to next winter. Maybe we will even get some snow!