Fragrant Hyacinths

The fragrance of spring is contained so elegantly and intensely in the buds of these tiny flowers, they sit perched on the spikes of chubby bulbs, heralding the arrival of spring.  Nothing smells quite like a hyacinth.  They are very easy to grow, so long as a few rules are followed.

If you’re located in a warmer climate, place your bulbs in paper bags and pop them in the fridge for six weeks, so the bulb has a winter and is able to grow to its full potential. If they are not lifted every year and placed in the fridge, they will not be long and graceful but rather short and disappointing.  Hyacinth do require support as they tend to fall over under the burden of their own weight.  When I use them as a cut flower, I pluck them from the soil ‘bulb and all’, and put them in water - this ensures they have a longer life. The bulb is discarded afterwards.

They are particularly beautiful clustered all together, or even as a single bloom placed in an area where they won’t be annoyed by direct sunlight.  This is a delightful flower that doesn’t last too long, but certainly provides us with an intense few days of fragrance.

I hope you enjoy spring and all its beauty.