One Last Look at Hyacinths

A rhetorical question prompted me to look back at Hyacinths one more time. They're almost all gone, except for the late pinks like Gypsy Queen, Pink Pearl and Top Hit. Top Hit is actually lavender and one of my faves. Back when I planted the first Top Hits, they marched like soldiers down the side of a bed that features lycoris in summer. Then I gave them alternating partners.

New this year, bought as 'mixed' instead of the alternative 'red white and blue' mix.

When I have mixed hyacinths, I sort the bulbs by color.

I like a 'french effect' of blues and lavenders together and a similar mix of pinks and lavenders.

The real trick is to get earlies separated from lates so they bloom together.

Hyacinths do very well planted in a filled circle instead of a row.

From this perspective, you can't see that these are two rounds.

Their companions are dianthus pinks and alyssum.

What can I say about soldier daffodils?

My festival hyacinths got out of line.

Maybe if the soldiers march 2 or 3 abreast?

Instead of along the front, how about curving through mid-bed

where later plants will hide the foliage as it matures?

A new bulb catalog came in the mail last week.  Sigh.

Delft Blue and China Pink bloom at the same time.

Blue Jacket, City of Haarlem and Pink Pearl bloom together.

It was a wonderful year for hyacinths, possibly because all of February was cold.