I added a different hyacinth cultivar to the little collection of bulbs I “forced” this winter.
By February I’m usually tired of snow and cold, so it’s heartening to have some spring bulbs blooming in my office window. Plus that lovely scent hits me every time I enter the room.
In November I planted several types of hyacinth bulbs in pots. Then I stored them in a refrigerator for the last 12 weeks which simulates the cooling period they would get if you planted them outdoors.
This is ‘Sweet Invitation’:
The flowers start out a light orange or apricot and turn rosy-pink as they age.
I like the more tightly-whorled florets compared to the old-fashioned Hyacinth ‘Gypsy’ seen on the right:
‘Sweet Invitation’ grows 8 to 12 inches tall in Zones 4-8. When planted outside, the flowers appear in April.