Name: Hyacinthus orientalis aka garden hyacinths.

Type of Plant: These spring flowers grow from bulbs that are typically planted in the fall outdoors, but they are also available in pots in garden centers right now. They come in a variety of colors and are known for fragrance. Whether you love the fragrance or not is an individual matter.

Why I Love/Hate this plant: I love these as spring pick-me-up plants first to enjoy indoors, and then to plant outside.

A Word to the Wise: Grow Hyacinthus in full sun and well drained soil. Fertilize them once a year and let the foliage stay in the garden after the flowering finishes so that the leaves will build up strength in the bulbs.

If you have these inside and want to plant them outdoors after they finish blooming, just remember to place the bulb about three inches under the surface of the soil. That means you might be burying some of the foliage but don’t worry…it will be fine.

If you don’t get the blooming plants now you can buy bulbs and plant them in the fall.

Hyacinths can be used in spring containers or brought into the house for fragrance indoors.

I saw this planting of hyacinths in Paris one spring.

Some hyacinths have tight flower clusters and others, such as these white ones, are looser. I love them all.