In the fall of 2008, we planted hyacinth bulbs in our yard. Many of those bulbs are blooming for the second time this week. I was surprised to see them bloom a second time with only slightly less vigor than last year, because I have read that we don’t get enough winter chill in our climate to stimulate hyacinths to re-bloom year after year. The hyacinth bulbs I have planted in prior years have tended to come back with less and less vigor each year until they die completely.
Although our hyacinths have been low maintenance flowers otherwise. We get enough rain in the winter months when they are in bloom that we do not need to provide them with supplemental watering. Also, I have not fertilized them.
The blue/purple hyacinth flowers are the most stunning to look at, and this color has re-bloomed the best out of all the hyacinth colors we planted. Although the white hyacinth flowers have by far the best fragrance. We planted more blue/purple and white hyacinth bulbs last fall in different locations (below picture). Those bulbs are a few weeks behind the 2008-09 crop in their bloom cycle.
February 28 2010 | Hyacinths | No Comments »
These pictures show some of the spring bulbs that have been blooming in our garden in the past few weeks. The hyacinths in the top picture were stunning at their peak about two weeks ago when I took this picture, especially the blue ones. Right now, the multicolored tulips in the second and third pictures are in full bloom.
Spring bulbs such as tulips, hyacinths, dutch irises, and daffodils are so beautiful and fun to grow. They make a wonderful landscape display for a few weeks in the springtime, because they tend to bloom at the same time and have such vibrant colors. I have gotten rave reviews from the neighbors about the color display.
Our climate doesn’t seem to get enough cold weather in the wintertime to stimulate tulips and hyacinths to continue blooming year after year. Freezes here are infrequent. Some sources say that one should dig up these bulbs and put them in the refrigerator for a month. Instead, I have been growing them as annuals, replanting them each fall and discarding some of the old ones. Our hyacinths usually bloom again more than one year, but they produce less flowers each year.
The fourth picture above showing the purple tulips and daffodils was taken in March 2008 of the same flower bed. I decided to diversify the color range of tulips I planted for this year’s display.
The same daffodils bloomed again back in February this year and have already faded away. Daffodils don’t seem to need much winter chill. They will bloom again year after year without any special care in our climate. I have seen them blooming along roads and highways in our area, obviously growing wild.
April 11 2009 | Daffodils and Hyacinths and Tulips | 1 Comment »