Polk County Master Gardeners
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Grape Hyacinths
I first fell in love with grape hyacinths at the Dallas Arboretum one spring
about ten years ago. The blooming season is short, but their deep blue-purple
color, bell-shaped blooms, and wonderful fragrance are well worth giving some
space to them.
One of the things you must remember is that these plants are so small (4 to 8
inches high) that they should be planted in groups to be effective. You might
consider putting them in a band 8 to 12 inches wide in front of something with
yellow blooms. A famous planting of them at the Keukenhof gardens in Holland is
known as the 'blue river'; this is a dense planting of grape hyacinth that winds
through the shrubs. Year after year, this is one of the most photographed scenes
in that spectacular park.
Grape hyacinth likes fertile soil, so be sure to add lots of organic matter
and particularly compost when you are working up their bed. They seldom need
additional fertilization after they are established. They bloom so early in the
spring that you can plant them under deciduous trees. They will get enough sun
for a good bloom and then enough shade after the trees leaf out that the hot
summer sun will not damage them. They should have good drainage so there will
not be winter rot.
Another thing to consider is that the squirrels and other rodents would love
to make a meal of the bulbs. Try covering them with wire mesh when planting,
scatter mothballs around them, or sprinkle the soil with crushed red pepper.
They will over winter without a problem and will multiply, so if you are
patient you can start with a reasonably small number and divide them every three
or four years. After the blooms are done, leave the foliage in place until it
browns. Then you can usually rake it away without tearing.
As with many other plants, it is better to buy from local nurseries that will
have varieties that do well here and the knowledge of what to do with them. Good
luck!
And for more information on a variety of gardening subjects, try our Polk
County Master Gardener web page:
http://www.uaex.edu/polk/MG/.
By Barbara M. Tobias
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