Hyacinths announce spring with a scent before you even see the flower — dense spikes of star-shaped blooms packed so tightly they perfume an entire room or garden bed.
Native to the eastern Mediterranean, hyacinths have been cultivated since antiquity and remain one of the most fragrant spring bulbs, equally popular forced indoors in a glass vase of water or planted outdoors alongside tulips and daffodils.
Hyacinth symbolizes sincerity and playful joy in most colors, but purple hyacinths carry a note of sorrow, tied to the Greek myth of the youth Hyacinthus.
Plant hyacinth bulbs in fall, about 4–6 inches deep in well-draining soil, in full sun to light shade. Like most spring bulbs, they need a cold winter dormancy to bloom well, so gardeners in warm climates often treat them as an annual or pre-chill bulbs before planting.
Hyacinth bulbs are toxic if ingested and can cause skin irritation when handled, so gardeners with sensitive skin are often advised to wear gloves when planting.
