Choosing a Hyacinth

By colour

For our greatest pleasure, the Hyacinth comes in many colours!

White Flowering Hyacinths:

The Hyacinth can be pure white as seen in Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Multiflora White’ and Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Carnegie’ or it can also reveal an ivory white like the double Hyacinth ‘Madame Sophie’.

Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Carnegie’

Hyacinths in Warm Yellow and Orange Tones:

Orange Hyacinths are rare. Stunning, the Oriental Hyacinth ‘Gipsy Queen’ is dressed in a warm salmon-orange hue. For yellow, we can mention Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Gipsy Princess’, as well as the Hyacinth ‘City of Haarlem’, which brighten the garden with their creamy yellow.

Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Gipsy Queen’

Pink-Red Flowering Hyacinths:

The shades are very variable for pink and red colours. There are very light varieties, such as the Hyacinth ‘China Pink’. The Hyacinths ‘Pink Pearl’ and ‘Fondant’ display a more vibrant pink. Dark pink, almost red, the Hyacinth ‘Jan Bos’ and the double Hyacinth ‘Red Diamond’ energise the garden. Finally, the Hyacinth ‘Woodstock’ blooms in an original purple-red colour.

Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Jan Bos’

Purple or Blue Flowering Hyacinths:

The range of purple and blue is very wide.

• The Hyacinth ‘Purple Sensation’ is hard to miss with its bright purple.
• Softer, the Hyacinth ‘Splendid Cornelia’ boasts lilac mauve flowers.
• Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Atlantic’ is a blend of violet-blue.
• With very light blue flowers, we find the Hyacinth ‘Sky Jacket’ and the Hyacinth ‘General Kohler’ with double flowers.
• The Hyacinth ‘Blue Pearl’, a descendant of the ‘Pink Pearl’ variety, offers us starry night-blue flowers.
• Very dark, the Hyacinth ‘Dark Dimension’ has flowers that are almost blackish purple!
• Finally, the old variety ‘City of Bradford’ has flowers of an almost indefinable colour: oscillating between grey-blue and lilac, they then turn pale pink.

Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Purple Sensation’

According to the flowering period

Generally, hyacinths bloom in March-April, for about 3-4 weeks. However, feel free to plant together varieties that flower at different times. This will allow you to enjoy them for much longer!

For Early Flowering

Hyacinths signal the arrival of spring with their colourful blooms! Among the earliest varieties that can already bloom in February, you will find:

• The Oriental Hyacinth ‘Delft Blue’ offers lavender-blue flowers
• The Hyacinth Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Fondant’ sometimes bears pale pink flowers with a darker midline as early as February
• The Hyacinth ‘Jan Bos’ brightens the garden with its vivid pink flowers
• The Hyacinth ‘Atlantic’ features spikes of purple flowers

Note that forcing bulbs is a technique to make them bloom even earlier. The hyacinth goes into dormancy during winter when it is cold. When temperatures rise at the end of winter, flowering is triggered. To make the hyacinth bloom as early as December, it is possible to simulate the winter period by placing the bulbs at low temperatures, then at a warmer temperature. You will find all our tips for forcing your Christmas hyacinth bulbs as well as for forcing a hyacinth in a vase. Please note that we also offer hyacinth bulbs prepared for forcing, such as the four hyacinths mentioned above, as well as the white hyacinth Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Aiolos’.

Later Varieties

Some varieties reveal their blooms as late as May! This is the case for the stunning hyacinth Hyacinthus orientalis ‘City of Haarlem’, which bears spikes of pale yellow flowers later than other hyacinths, from April to May. For a pure white, very elegant bloom, we recommend the Hyacinth ‘Carnegie’, which flowers from March to May.

Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Delft Blue’ and Hyacinthus orientalis ‘City of Haarlem’

According to the shape of the flowers

Hyacinths are mainly known for their numerous star-shaped flowers closely grouped together, forming a compact spike at the end of a well-erect floral stem, generally not exceeding 30 centimetres. However, there are Hyacinths with a slightly different flowering: the multiflorous Hyacinths. Their main bulb consists of several small bulbs (about 8 to 12), each producing a stem. The floral spikes are less dense, with flowers more dispersed and spaced out along the stem. This gives a lighter and more natural effect to the Hyacinth. They can be blue, white, pink, or red: Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Multiflora Blue’, Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Multiflora White’, Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Multiflora Pink’, Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Multiflora Rouge’.

A large majority of Dutch Hyacinth varieties produce single flowers. However, there are also varieties with double flowers, composed of many petals, such as the sweet Oriental Hyacinth ‘General Kohler’ in lavender blue, the stunning double Hyacinth ‘Crystal Palace’ tinted with violet blue, the striking white Hyacinth ‘Madame Sophie’, and the vibrant Hyacinth ‘Red Diamond’. Also, the larger the bulb, the bigger the flowers will be.

Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Fondant’ with its single flowers arranged in dense spikes, Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Multiflora Blue’ with its light floral stems, and Hyacinthus orientalis ‘General Kohler’ with its double flowers

According to the intensity of the fragrance

Sweet Fragrance

To be pollinated, the diffuse Hyacinth emits a delightful fragrance to attract pollinating insects, such as bees that relish the nectar of the flowers. The intensity of the scents can vary depending on the varieties of Hyacinth. For example, the white Hyacinths ‘Aiolos’ and ‘Top White’ are varieties with a sweet, light fragrance. Hyacinthus ‘Splendid Cornelia’ in lilac colour has a slightly stronger, suave fragrance.

Intense Fragrance

Among the most fragrant is the ‘Fondant’ Hyacinth with its soft pink flowers. The ‘Delft Blue’ Hyacinth is the variety with the most powerful fragrance and is rather sharp. The ‘City of Bradford’ Hyacinth is slightly sweeter than ‘Delft Blue’, but its scent remains very strong. Also highly fragrant, the ‘China Pink’ Hyacinth is, however, the least pungent of the three. We should also mention the elegant and much-loved ‘Carnegie’ Hyacinth. We recommend planting the bulbs in groups, near your home or a frequently visited area, along pathways, or even in pots inside the house to fully enjoy the highly fragrant flowerings of these varieties!

→ Read also: Fragrant Hyacinth Varieties to Discover.

According to the use

Outside

Hyacinths can be integrated into the foreground of a perennial border. They can also be planted at the base of deciduous trees and bushes. They add a lovely splash of colour at the end of winter. Create a beautiful spring border by combining hyacinths with other spring bulb plants, such as daffodils, tulips, or grape hyacinths. Hyacinths prefer well-drained soil, making them suitable for rock gardens. Plant them in full sun or partial shade alongside succulents, ornamental grasses, or rockery perennials. Hyacinths are perfect for brightening up a terrace or a windowsill! Plant them in pots or containers. In a container, plants have fewer resources, so we recommend choosing larger bulbs with a good food reserve. Smaller bulbs are best suited for planting in the ground. You can choose to plant only hyacinths in your container or mix different bulbs. In this case, ensure that the planting respects the size of the bulbs. You can learn all about planting bulbs in layers by consulting our advice sheet.

Hyacinths alongside bulbs: Tulips and Daffodils.

Inside the House

It is possible to force hyacinth bulbs to enjoy flowering as early as December and thus have flowers for Christmas indoors! For this, choose larger bulbs that have more reserves and therefore withstand forcing better. In our collection, you will find four varieties prepared for forcing: the tender pink ‘Fondant’ hyacinth, the bright ‘Jan Bos’ hyacinth in pink-red, the immaculate white ‘Aiolos’ hyacinth, and the ‘Delft Blue’ hyacinth with its intense blue-violet hue. Hyacinths also hold up very well in vases and can be included in fragrant spring bouquet arrangements as early as the end of winter!

Spring pots indoors

For further reading

• Find our advice sheet: Planting hyacinths: our tips for installing them in the garden or in pots
• Discover our ideas for pairing hyacinths in the garden, in pots or in cut flower arrangements