Bunched spikes of fragrant little bells in pastel pink, blue or white — hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) is the spring bulb that brings scent to flower beds, garden boxes and bouquets. Plant it in groups in autumn, four inches deep, and you get clustered spots of colour instead of lonely stems.
| Name | Hyacinthus |
|---|---|
| Family | Liliaceae (lily family) |
| Type | spring bulb |
| Height | 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) |
| Exposure | full sun, part sun |
| Soil | ordinary |
Blooming outside: early → mid-spring – Indoors: mid-winter → early spring
They are normally planted outdoors, but they are often seen inside our homes at the beginning of winter.
Planting and caring for hyacinths from spring to winter, here are the best practices.
It is possible to make hyacinths bloom inside your house, from fall till the beginning of spring.
This is called “Forcing”. It tires the bulb to bloom out-of-season. You can give it a rest by planting it in the ground.
Starting in September and until January,
Hyacinths can be grown as a normal garden bulb, forced in pots at home, or simply bought already potted for winter colour. Each route has its own timing and its own answer to the question of a second flowering.
| Method | When to start | Blooming time | Will it bloom again? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Planted in the ground outdoors | Autumn, 4 inches (10 cm) deep | Early to mid-spring | Yes, but less generously each year |
| Forced in pots indoors | September to January | Fall till the beginning of spring | Only after a rest planted in the ground |
| Bought already grown in pots | Nothing to start, sold ready to flower | Winter, indoors | No, unless planted outdoors |
Whichever route you take, adding a few new bulbs each year keeps the display full.
Hyacinths that are planted in fall will bloom in spring. This is the normal, natural blooming cycle.
It helps to have mulch to preserve moisture, especially when in full sun.
Hyacinths purchased and grown in pots are for indoor blooming in winter. It is useless to keep them in their pots, because they will not bloom again, unless they are planted outdoors.
Most bulbs sold in garden centres belong to a handful of tried-and-tested named varieties, each with its own colour and habit. Use this table to match a variety to your beds, pots or indoor forcing bowls.
| Variety | Flower colour | Height | Flowering | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Blue Jacket’ | Navy blue, paler edge | 8 to 10 in (20 to 25 cm) | Mid-spring | Borders and cutting |
| ‘Delft Blue’ | Soft porcelain blue | 8 to 10 in (20 to 25 cm) | Early to mid-spring | Beds, pots and forcing |
| ‘Pink Pearl’ | Deep rose pink | 8 to 10 in (20 to 25 cm) | Early spring | Borders and forcing |
| ‘City of Haarlem’ | Primrose yellow | 10 to 12 in (25 to 30 cm) | Mid to late spring | Beds, extends the season |
| ‘Carnegie’ | Pure white | 8 to 10 in (20 to 25 cm) | Mid-spring | Beds and white schemes |
| ‘Woodstock’ | Beetroot purple | 8 to 10 in (20 to 25 cm) | Mid-spring | Pots and dark colour accents |
| ‘Jan Bos’ | Crimson red | 8 to 10 in (20 to 25 cm) | Early spring | Pots and forcing |
| ‘Gipsy Queen’ | Salmon apricot | 8 to 10 in (20 to 25 cm) | Mid-spring | Garden boxes and pots |
With their nice bunched flowers, they produce fragrant little bells.
Hyacinths put on a great show at the very beginning of spring outdoors, and in December when grown indoors.
In flower beds, garden boxes or bouquets, their pastel pink, blue or white colors will enchant you.
Garden hyacinths are those that are often potted during the Christmas season.
Read more about bulb flowers:
Don’t be surprised by the fact that garden hyacinths bloom less over the years, this is inevitable. You must remember to add new bulbs regularly.
How can I know what color the bulbs are going to be? I got them all mixed up after buying.