Hyacinth ‘Delft Blue’

Hyacinth 'Delft Blue' flowering in April.

* Common name: Hyacinth ‘Delft Blue’

* Botanical name: Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Delft Blue’

* What it is: An April-blooming spring bulb that sends up spikes of blue-purple flowers that are so sweetly fragrant you’ll either get a sniff addiction or come down with a scent-overload headache. Deer-resistant and good for three or four seasons before they go downhill.

* Size: Flower spikes grow about a foot tall.

* Where to use: To capitalize on their fragrance, plant groups of them in high-traffic areas, such as along walkways and next to patios. Stick a few near a window so you can smell them inside on a warm day. Hyacinths also look good massed in any flower bed or foundation planting. Sun or part shade.

* Care: Scatter a balanced, organic granular fertilizer such as Bulb Booster or Bulb-tone over the beds in late spring and/or early fall. Cut foliage to ground after it yellows. Bulbs best planted in October.

* Great partner: Interplant ‘Delft Blue’ with pink and white hyacinths for a nicely blended mass of color. They also look great with boxwoods.