When should you plant hyacinth bulbs?

From September to December, before hard frosts, in well-drained compost.

How deep should you plant hyacinths?

About 10 cm deep in pots, tip upwards, leaving 5 to 10 cm between bulbs.

When do hyacinths flower?

In March and April, for two to three weeks.

Can you plant hyacinths in pots?

Yes, in a pot with drainage holes and free-draining compost, in sun or partial shade.

Do hyacinths come back every year?

Yes, if you let the foliage yellow after flowering; the spikes are often a little lighter in following years.

Can you make hyacinths flower indoors?

Yes, after 10 to 12 weeks of cold, the bulbs can flower in a pot in a bright, cool room.

Are hyacinths frost hardy?

Yes, the bulbs are hardy and spend the winter outdoors; just protect the pots in very cold weather.

What can you combine hyacinths with in pots?

With tulips planted deeper and grape hyacinths or crocuses on top, for a longer flowering season.

Hyacinths — intensely fragrant bulbs for spring

Q: Are hyacinths toxic?

Yes, the bulbs are toxic if eaten and can irritate the skin: wear gloves to handle them.

Dense spikes of starry blue, pink, violet or white flowers, and above all a scent that fills the whole balcony: hyacinths flower in March and April. Plant the bulbs in autumn in pots or window boxes, on their own or with tulips and grape hyacinths.

Few flowers herald spring with as much presence as the hyacinth: dense spikes of small starry flowers, blue, pink, violet or white, and a powerful scent that fills the whole balcony from the first fine days. Easy and hardy, hyacinths are planted in autumn and flower in March and April, in pots, window boxes or at the foot of a shrub.

Our hyacinths

Blue Water Mix combines blue and white hyacinths for a fresh, luminous display. Pastel Mix brings together soft pink, violet and white tones. The mixed garden hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis) offers a multicoloured palette for a cheerful effect. All our bulbs are size 14/15: large bulbs that produce full spikes from the very first flowering.

Planting hyacinths in pots

Plant the bulbs from September to December, before hard frosts, tip upwards, about 10 cm deep, leaving 5 to 10 cm between them. Use a pot with drainage holes and free-draining compost, as the bulbs dislike excess water. Place the pot in sun or partial shade and water lightly after planting, then only if the compost dries out. Hardy, hyacinths spend the winter outdoors and are among our cold and frost hardy plants.

Making hyacinths flower indoors

To enjoy their scent at home, plant a few bulbs close together in a pot and leave them 10 to 12 weeks in the cold, outdoors or in a cool, dark place between 5 and 9 °C. When the shoots reach a few centimetres, bring the pot into a bright, cool room: flowering follows in two to three weeks.

Combining hyacinths with other bulbs

In a lasagne-planted pot, place tulips at the bottom, hyacinths in the middle and grape hyacinths or crocuses on top: the flowers follow one another from February to May. Hyacinths also pair beautifully with daffodils. Find all our bulbs in the Flower bulbs collection.

After flowering

Cut off faded spikes but let the foliage yellow naturally: it recharges the bulb for the following year. In pots, you can leave the bulbs in place or replant them in the garden. In following years, the spikes are often a little lighter and more natural, but just as fragrant.

Precautions

Hyacinth bulbs are toxic if eaten and can irritate the skin: wear gloves to handle them and keep them out of reach of children and pets.

Hyacinths on the balcony

Set a window box of hyacinths near a window or French door to enjoy their scent every time you open it. Paired with hellebores or grasses, they bring colour and freshness, ideal for styling a balcony for spring.