Into The Woods
One of the more popular spring-flowering bulbs with our customers over the last few years has been the Wood Hyacinth. In fact, it has become so popular that we’ve expanded our product line this year to include a white, pink and blue mix as well as a purely pink variety to go along with the more common blue color that we have offered in the past. My first introduction to this pretty flower was many years ago when I saw it growing on the side of a neighbor’s house that was primarily used for storage purposes. I always admired how it emerged each spring through gravel that had been left over from another home improvement project. I really have no idea how it got there but each spring it would reappear and bring some color to an otherwise forgotten portion of my neighbor’s yard.
Wood Hyacinths are also known as Scilla or Bluebells as the flowers look like miniature bells. There are varieties of Bluebells that originate from Spain, England, and the United States. Spanish Wood Hyacinths are less fragrant than other varieties and the blooms hang off the stem in an arcing pattern. They are always blue or lavender and are hardy in garden zones 3 to 8. English Wood Hyacinths are more fragrant and the flowers are on upright stems rather than the arcing pattern seen in Spanish Bluebells. They too are hardy in garden zones 3 to 8. Finally, Bluebells that are native to the U.S. are often referred to as Virginia Bluebells and they differ significantly from the other two varieties as they have foliage in place almost all year round with the exception of summertime.
Wood Hyacinths are very versatile and can be used in rock gardens, flower beds and borders as well as along walkways. The strap-like foliage will appear first and is plentiful and robust. The flowers emerge later in the spring and bloom for several weeks. They do well in both full sun and the dappled shade found in woodland landscapes. They are good companion plants with Ferns and Hostas as well as groundcovers like Pachysandra as these plants help hide the foliage which like most spring-flowering bulbs will turn brown as the bulbs store energy for next year’s show.
The bulbs should be planted 5 inches deep in soil that drains well. Like most bulbs, they don’t want to be sitting in standing water. Once established these bulbs will naturalize and spread out over time. Their deep root system makes them difficult to transplant so be sure, where possible, that you plant them in a permanent location. If you do need to move them it is best to do it in early summer when their foliage has browned and the bulb has gathered the strength it will need to survive the move. As a result of such a move, it is possible that they may not bloom the first year after being transplanted.
Another nice feature is that Wood Hyacinths are highly resistant to pests and diseases as well as being deer resistant. They look best when planted in groups of 8 to 16 bulbs and the masses of flowers can be an impressive sight to see. If you are searching for an easy, low maintenance bulb that will give your yard years of beauty then you should check out our Wood Hyacinth collection; but do it quickly as these bulbs sell out fast!
