By Plant Hunter, Lark Hanham.
Enjoyed in the garden for hundreds of years, Grape Hyacinths are bulbous perennials that you can plant and literally forget. Their hardiness and adaptability has seen them become a reliable and much-loved ingredient for the spring garden, offering some vibrant early colour and a delicious scent too. They appear in shades, from pastel blue to almost black-navy hues, and last from March to May – so they’re very rewarding. I think they look particularly spectacular when allowed to naturalise and self-seed in informal settings. However their short anti-flop stems and numerous tufts of profoundly arranged flowers make them ideal for plugging gaps or for skirting along semi-shaded pathways.
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A striking plant that’s rarely seen growing in the UK. Its 50cm tall stature and peculiar appearance measures up to a Kniphofia and sees it descriptively referred to as the Grape Tassel Hyacinth due to is pendulous dishevelled blooms. Flowering from May to July, it arrives later than most and provides extended interest.
Ideal for quickly filling sunny areas of the garden with giant swathes or even rivers of colour, this specimen balances finesse and vigour. Its ink-blue-black flowers have a contrasting white band to the rim, and they appear in gardens in April and May and possess a citrus scent. Height 30cm.
As if by magic, the long-flowering Ocean Magic slowly transforms to create an attractive three-tiered colour affect. Slower to establish than most and non-invasive, its scent is incredible and its beauty subtle, but breath-taking. Flowering March to May. Height 20cm.
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