some outstanding blooms this forcing season

I have some outstanding blooms this forcing season. Silverstone hyacinth in a repurposed Adam biscuit barrel.

forced Silverstone hyacinth in bloom

 forced hyacinths in vases and bulb bowls

close-up of the bulb bowl in the middle above, 2 great blooms out of 4 Caribbean Dream bulbs that were started

forced Caribbean Dream hyacinths in bulb bowl

Caribbean Dream hyacinth in bloom

 

 

 

 

this is one of my best blooms this year

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had to discard that 3rd bulb as it was rotten, shame 2 of the bulbs rotted as these 2 flowers are so great.

Carribean Dream forced hyacinths

These City of Bradford hyacinths are looking fabulous in this bulb bowl - and all in bloom at the same time. I haven't used this variety before but pleased with this bulb bowl. Will need to check how the others performed.

forced City of Bradford hyacinths in bulb bowl

that bulb bowl from the other side

forced City of Bradford hyacinths in bulb bowl

sure another pic is not required but I can't resist, just so impressed with these all in bloom at the same time, couple days later

forced City of Bradford hyacinths in bulb bowl

some of the outstanding blooms from upstairs

outstanding forced hyacinth blooms

3 Lady Derby hyacinths in the SylvaC pot with frogs and lizard on the left and bulb bowl with Blue Jacket hyacinths on the right, only buds so far.

forced Lady Derby hyacinths

2 days later the Lady Derby hyacinths have opened up more

forced Lady Derby hyacinths

some buds just opening

forced hyacinth buds opening

I think this pic is a little lighter so I include it although it's quite similar to the one above

forced hyacinth buds just opening

The hyacinth in that terracotta pot has bloomed and it has a double stem - great flower. It's either Delft Blue or Skyline - my spreadsheet got a bit confused.

double-stemmed hyacinth

the Miss Saigon hyacinths have also opened, Delft Blue either side

Miss Saigon and Delft Blue forced hyacinths

Difficult to get all the hyacinths in a bowl in bloom at the same time - this one almost made it. Surprising to see some muscari flowers on the left. What did I do right? I've had trouble getting any flowers out of muscari bulbs before their usual blooming time yet that Shorter and Son horseshoe trough with the squirrel with muscari bulbs on an improvised mix of grit and compost has them blooming. There are plenty of vases in the background of pics above with muscari bulbs with lots of roots but no flowers. I've tried them in pots in compost in the past with no results. This requires further experimentation!

bulb bowl with hyacinth bulbs in bloom

sometimes the wilting flowers have a special intensity of colour, Blue Jacket

wilting forced Blue Jacket hyacinth

Some of the last vases out of the dark, some are a bit questionable whether the stems have grown enough but if they don't come out soon, they won't bloom this year. Why so many of the squat vases so late? Is there a difference between tall and squat vases ability to grow hyacinth bulbs? Had never considered that but this is curious. Of these late developers 4 are Fresco, 7 Delft Blue from 3 suppliers (3 from one, 2 from another and 1 each from a third and fourth supplier), 2 Blue Eyes and 1 unnamed. Of the 7 vases left in the dark: 3 Fresco, 1 Blue Eyes, 1 Purple Star, 1 Skyline and 1 unknown.

hyacinth vases out of the dark

The bud in that cobalt blue vase with the white dot decoration is enormous! The variety is Blue Eyes.

hyacinth Blue Eyes bud