There is nothing more pleasant, after breathing the stale indoor air all winter, than to go outside in spring and breathe in the sweet scent of a hyacinth. Hyacinths are the art, soul and fragrance of spring. Hyacinths are a small genus of bulbous perennial plants that bloom in spring. The special feature of hyacinths is that the different varieties can have different coloured tunics or bulb sheaths.
In terms of spring fragrance, hyacinths are in a class of their own. There are few flowers more iconic and glorious than hyacinths in spring. Wikipedia Hyacinthus orientalis wild type in cultivation One of the earliest bulbs of spring is the hyacinth. Hyacinths bloom in mid-spring, filling the garden with a burst of pastel colors when most of the garden is just waking up.
Do hyacinths come back every year?
My grandmother always had some hyacinth bulbs doing this when I was a child and I associate the first few months of the year with their scent. Hyacinths only bloom once a year (in the spring), but they will bloom again with gusto in subsequent years if properly cared for. Choose a spot where the plant will get some sun and where it can be watered regularly during the dry summer months. If, like me, you have moist, poorly draining soil, a good tip is to plant them at the base of a south facing hedge or wall so that excess moisture is absorbed by the roots of the hedge or wall, but the hyacinths are not shaded and, in fact, the sunlight is trapped and reflected.
The time to plant hyacinths outdoors is in early autumn, placing them in the ground about 15cm deep and, if the soil is heavy, put a trowel full of gravel in the hole first so that the bulb sits on it and is kept well drained. The key to success for hyacinths is good drainage and as much sun as possible, both in winter and summer.
Do hyacinths like sun or shade?
Dig a hole and plant several hyacinths, 3 to 5 per hole, placing the bulbs at the bottom of the hole 6 to 8 inches deep. Winter hardy in zones 4-8, these pretty, fragrant flowers enjoy full or partial sun and usually appear from March to April, growing to a height of 8-12 inches. September through December is usually the best time to plant hyacinths outdoors for spring bloom. Since hyacinths grow worst when they have to fight for nutrients with their companions, it's best to plant them 5-6 apart.
If you don't live in an area that experiences winter, that's fine; hyacinths need a cold snap to bloom. The name hyacinth is derived from the Greek huakinthos, a plant identified as the flower of the Hyacinthus myth. Hyacinthus orientalis can live up to four years in your garden, although they can die out during the summer.
