Every year I pot up amaryllis bulbs and paper whites. I love the amaryllis blooms and the different colors. Sometimes I have purchased them from a garden shop. Other times I peruse a catalog and order online. I have favorite pots and putting them around the house to surprise me when they feel like it. The blooms are magnificent whether they come up in time for Christmas. Or whether they slowly appear by March.
What's leftover are the green leaves. My aunt used to throw her bulbs under a crawl space in a dark, cool place and repot them every year. I have never had luck getting them to rest and come back. I continue to purchase new ones each year.
In April, I plant these spent bulbs in the ground hoping something will happen. Only the long green leaves remain.
Those long green leaves bring a remembrance of the magnificence that was. You make me want to do this next year. My brown thumb might need intensive coaching.
Sometimes what remains is enough to remind us of what was beautiful. One of these years, I"m going to try out your aunt's technique with my paper whites!