Hyacinths~The Art & Fragrance of Spring

There are few flowers more glorious than Hyacinths~they are the art, soul and fragrance of spring. Their sweet, bee-loved perfume has filled the finest of gardens since the Dutch hybridized plumper hybrids with more densely compacted flowering spikes than those of the wild species found in the eastern Mediterranean circa 1562.

Plant Hyacinths in high traffic spots so their sweetness may be savored. Mix two or more varieties for a signature blend, or plant individual clusters throughout perennial beds like a recurrent melody. If you haven't yet tried it, Hyacinths also make wonderful cut flowers. In a vase, they will fill your home with their intoxicating scent. Hyacinths are perfect for forcing, too. Imagine the dazzling pots of color and fragrance in the depth of winter. (Check out our Hyacinth Forcing Tips if you would like to get started forcing.)

Like us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for flash alerts of 20%-off Web Specials from our 800+ collection of the world's best flower bulbs and Peonies. Your clients will love our 20%-off Orange and Pink Hyacinth Special.

Hyacinthus orientalis

Hyacinthus orientalis varieties yield plump, rigid racemes densely compacted with slightly reflexed, tubular florets, also known as nails, and three to four, upright strappy leaves. While hybrids with single florets are the most prolifically grown, there are semi-double and double forms of Hyacinthus orientalis, such as H. orientalis Royal Navy, our favorite double. All are deliciously fragrant.

H. orientalis Aiolos

A 1985 cross of Delft Blue and Carnegie, Aiolos is ivory-white with cream highlights, maturing to bright white.

H. orientalis Aqua

This magical newcomer has pale sky-blue florets with blue-purple midveins for a starburst effect.

H. orientalis Blue Jacket

Known as a good early to mid-season forcer, award-winning Blue Jacket is deep blue-purple with paler petal edges.

H. orientalis City of Haarlem

This 1893 award-winning heirloom is soft primrose-yellow. City of Haarlem is known as the best yellow for forcing.

H. orientalis Delft Blue

Circa 1944, award-winning Delft Blue is soft lilac-blue with paler edges. It is the best blue Hyacinth for early forcing.

H. orientalis Fondant

AKA Pink Frosting, the 1983 award-winning Fondant is soft neyron-rose with paler phlox-pink highlights.

H. orientalis Gypsy Queen

This 1927 heirloom has more slender flowering spikes in luscious tones of salmon-apricot with paler petal edges.

H. orientalis Jan Bos

Circa 1910, award-winning Jan Bos is vibrant spirea-red with paler edges. It is the best "red" Hyacinth for forcing.

H. orientalis Miss Saigon

This award-winner is dark beetroot-purple with paler edges and a twilight-blue sheen on the petals' reverse.

H. orientalis Pink Pearl

Circa 1922, this award-winner is fuchsia-pink with paler petal edges. It is known as the best early pink forcer.

H. orientalis Royal Navy

Our favorite of the new double Hyacinths, it is very dark blue with a bit of a violet sheen and paler petal edges.

H. orientalis Sweet Invitation

Sweet Invitation has long creamiscle-apricot florets that blend to rose-pink. It's wonderfully peachy!

H. orientalis White Pearl

A 1954 Pink Pearl sport, it opens ivory with pale chartreuse tips and matures to glistening white. It is a good early forcer.

H. orientalis Woodstock

Dramatic Woodstock is a sultry 1922 sport of Jan Bos. It is intense beetroot-purple with a hazy maroon sheen.

H. orientalis Yellowstone

This new hybrid has pale forsythia-yellow florets with a darker striations and a darker reverse.

The Hyacinth Bedding Mixture

Our fragrant Hyacinth Bedding Mixture is a vibrant blue, pink and white blend of five varieties of Hyacinth orientalis: Aiolos, Blue Jacket, Delft Blue, Fondant, Pink Pearl and White Pearl. Not only are the size 15/16 centimeter bulbs more economical for larger drifts and swaths, but this bulb size removes the possibility of having to stake to plump, rigid flowering racemes.

The Hyacinth Forcing and Exhibition Collection

For garden club competitions, we've imported the best forcing varieties one size larger, bulb size 18/19 cm: Blue Jacket, City of Haarlem, Delft Blue, Jan Bos, Pink Pearl and White Pearl. This collection is also perfect for planting the largest possible bulbs in your home's display gardens for tours and special occasions. Staking is a must.

The Orange and Pink Hyacinth Special

We love to mix orange and pink flowers. Here we have combined the luscious oranges and pinks of Hyacinth orientalis Fondant, Gypsy Queen, Pink Pearl and Sweet Invitation. It’s a fresh, fragrant addition to any garden whether you mix them all together, or plant them in individual clusters. This special includes 5 bulbs of each variety.

Hyacinth Bulbs are Easy to Plant

Hyacinths are magical bulbs. It's hard to imagine how such perfection in form, color, fragrance and beauty can develop from a bulb.

Plant Hyacinth bulbs 6" deep and 6" apart in the fall after the ground has chilled to about 55ºF (after two weeks of 40ºF nighttime temperatures). Good for horticultural zones 4-8, Hyacinths require rich, well-draining and neutral pH soil. They hate to get wet feet: never plant them in an area that gets inundated with water after a heavy rain. Plant them in a spot that will receive a minimum of six hours of daily spring sunshine. Deer-resistant, our 16/17 cm bulbs produce good-sized flower spikes packed with composite flowers, called nails. The 18/19 cm bulbs in our Hyacinth Forcing and Exhibition Collection develop colossal flower spikes that demand staking to remain upright. Click here for Hyacinth Horticultural Tips.

Hyacinth bulbs can cause a topical allergic reaction for some, so wear gloves. If you do get a reaction, just wash with soap and water.

Hyacinths are Good for Forcing

To force a bulb means to replicate winter conditions to fool the bulb into blooming earlier in either a pot or a Hyacinth glass. While all Hyacinths can be forced, the best are Aiolos, Blue Jacket, City of Haarlem, Delft Blue, Gypsy Queen, Jan Bos, Pink Pearl and White Pearl. Click here for Hyacinth Forcing Tips.

In mid-October, plant the bulbs shoulder to shoulder in a pot with drainage and water moderately. Cool them at a consistent, dark 35º to 48ºF for 10 to 12 weeks with a weekly drink. Or, suspend the bulbs in Hyacinth glasses filled with water and cool for ten to twelve weeks. The root base of the bulbs should just barely touch the water, allowing its baby roots to grow down. After the cooling period, place the Hyacinths into progressively sunnier, warmer spots. Colored buds should develop within 3 to 5 weeks, when they may be placed anywhere. Any flowers that become too large or floppy may be cut for vase display.

You'll love The Curious History of the Bulb Vase by Patricia Coccoris (www.hyacinthbulbvases.com).

Call Us~We're Here for You!

We start shipping flower bulbs to colder areas of the U.S. in late September. Reserve your favorites now to avoid dreaded sold-outs later. We won't charge your credit card until we prepare your order for shipment, so there is no cost associated with reserving your flower bulbs and Peonies in advance. You can always add to or change your order prior to fall shipment.

Call us at 860.567.0838 if you need help making your selections. We're here from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm Monday through Friday and from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm over the weekends.

If you need an individual variety in larger volume than our published pricing, please visit our wholesale sister company, Van Engelen, or contact us personally for a special quotation.

We would love to speak with you about your garden and bulbs~we just love to talk bulbs. They are The Art and Soul of Spring™.

Connect with us on our social media pages, where you'll find inspiring photos, fascinating articles and website specials!

For John Scheepers' 96-page Beauty from Bulbs color catalog, click: Request JS Catalog.

For Van Engelen's 60-page Wholesale Price List, click: Request VE Catalog.

To view our collection of over 800 flower bulb varieties online, click: Flower Bulb Collection.

For our Website Specials, click: Website Specials.

John Scheepers Beauty from Bulbs

23 Tulip Drive * PO Box 638 * Bantam, CT 06750

Phone: (860) 567-0838 * Fax: (860) 567-5323

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