Tricks of the trade

Spring is coming!

The days are getting longer, the weather is mild and all the bulbs are coming up.

Daffodils, Tulips, Crocus, Lily of the Valley, Snowdrops and many more lovely spring flowers are adorning our houses, gardens and everywhere else around us.

Including the gorgeously scented Hyacinths.

But how can you tell what colour they will be?

Let me tell you the tricks of the trade:

Option #1 - The easy way:

Look at the side of the plastic pot. It usually gives you a little picture with the Hyacinths in flower. The pot should correspond with the bulbs! It will also tell you the colour in Dutch. Now I do realise that not everyone's Dutch is as good as mine (me being a Dutchman does explain a thing or two!) so hereby the colours and the translations:

Roze = Pink

Blauw = Blue

Wit = White

Paars = Purple

Rood = Red

Sometimes, especially with single Hyacinths, the whole pot is in the colour of the Hyacinth.

The easy option

So that was the easy option. But what if the pots are lovely gift wrapped, the bulbs are planted up or for some reason there is no label or anything on the pot?

Option #2 - The 'impress your friends and family'-way:

You can determine the colour of a Hyacinths bulb by looking at the bulb itself and by looking at the green leaves:

- If the bulb is a pale brown/sandy colour, it is a white Hyacinth

- If the bulb is of a more purpley colour, it is usually either pink or blue.

- If the tips of the leaves of the Hyacinths are darker than the rest of the leaves, it's blue.

- If the tips of the leaves are lighter than the rest of the leaves, it's usually pink.



Left = blue, top = white, right = pink



As you've noticed before with the translations, Hyacinths do come as well in a more lilac-y pink and a reddish colour, but the are often sold as single Hyacinths and less common to be planted up.

But because the bulbs and the tips of their leaves are very similar to pink Hyacinths, what looks like a pink Hyacinths doesn't always need to be one! If you're not sure, just ask us/your florist!

We/they should know!

Class dismissed!!!

Your teacher for the day: Martin