Not that Hyacinth! Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced ‘bouquet’) from the BBC series, Keeping Up Appearances.
Melinda’s Garden Moments is heard Mon.-Fri. at 7:45 and 10:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. on WHAV.
Celebrate World Hyacinth Day March 7th and throughout the spring by enjoying the fragrant blooms of this popular spring flowering bulb.
The wonderful fragrance and wide range of colors make the hyacinth a favorite garden and forced flower. During the 17th and 18th centuries only the very rich had this flower in their gardens. Now they are available worldwide.
Hyacinths are hardy in zones 3 to 7, but can be pre-cooled for planting in warm regions and forced into bloom to enjoy indoors anywhere.
Once the soil cools in fall or early winter, plant the bulbs in full sun and well-drained soils for best results. Plant the bulbs about 4 to 6 inches deep and 6 inches apart. Extend their life and blooming power by removing the faded flowers.
And consider planting new bulbs every few years since hyacinths are slow to spread and often not long lived in our less-than-ideal growing conditions.
A bit more information: One story in Greek mythology has hyacinths named for a Spartan youth, Hyacinthos, who was accidentally killed by Apollo. In this story, beautiful flowers, hyacinths, sprouted from the spot where his blood fell.
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