Hyacinth, for a colorful and fragrant garden -

Everyone knows hyacinths in the ornamental garden. It is one of the classics, one of the most colorful and fragrant flowering plants.
Hyacinth (hyacinthus orientalis) garden is a perennial plant, it is part of the autumnal bulbous that bloom in spring.
Very floriferous, this bulbous fills the gardens with its intoxicating aroma.

The hyacinth is a bulbous plant of the family Liliaceae, perennial, with deciduous foliage, very resistant to cold (-25 ° C), between 20 and 30 cm high.
Its leaves are simple, whole, fleshy and of a lively and sustained green that highlights even more the color of the flowers.
Its flowers are small, very fragrant and arranged in clusters in the terminal part of a thick floral scape.
It is a resistant bulbous very easy to grow, very floriferous, with flowers of extraordinary beauty, and an intense and characteristic perfume, whose flowering can last for three months.
However, hyacinth bulbs bloom for only 2 to 3 years; thereafter, they will only produce leaves.

Hyacinth cultivation

Hyacinth bulbs are placed in late summer and fall, to bloom in spring. They are planted in a substrate specially prepared so that it is light; if it is too heavy, you can mix sand or peat and potting soil. A bed of sand can also be placed in the bottom of the pot to improve drainage.
The bulbs are placed with the tip upwards, 5 to 10 cm deep (2.5 times the height of the bulb), then covered with potting soil leaving 1 cm protruding from the surface.
Plants prefer sun to partial shade locations.
The hyacinth bulb requires a period of low temperatures to have a quality flowering.
The plant requires regular watering, so that the substrate is always humid, since it needs a relative humidity of between 70-80% for its development.
After flowering, the flower spikes should be cut when they are wilted.
The bulbs should be removed from the ground to store them in a dry place protected from light.
Hyacinths are very hardy and we might think we could do well by leaving them in the ground. But it has been observed that hyacinth bulbs that remain in the ground bloom much less densely, their erect spikes are less beautiful, and the plant loses some of its vigor and splendor.
For growing hyacinths in pots, good size bulbs should be chosen. Between one and five bulbs per pot should be placed in a porous, slightly acidic substrate with good drainage capacity.

Hyacinth varieties

Hyacinths exist in many colors: pink, blue, purple, lilac, fuchsia, orange, yellow, and even black. Here are some varieties:

• "Kronos": with dark purple flowers, dense, almost black;
• «Fondant»: its flowers are lilac, very distinguished;
• "Rose of Naples": variety with double flowers, very soft pink;
• Jan Bos: its flowers are deep red;

and many others: "Anne Marie", with a very light pink flower; «Carnégie», with white flower; "City of Harlem", with pale yellow flowers; "White pearl", "Woodstock" and others.

Where can hyacinths be placed

If we have a garden, they can be planted in a flowerbed, on the edge, etc.
They are very suitable for borders, due to their low height, to be placed ahead of other bulbous or taller perennials.
The hyacinth can be planted by combining it with anemones, daffodils or pansies.
If we do not have a garden, we can place them in a small pot, or planting several bulbs in a large pot, of a single color, or with flowers of different colors to achieve a very cheerful and colorful effect.
Some varieties of hyacinth tolerate forcing well and flourish well indoors.