Grape Hyacinths are among the earliest flowers to bloom in the spring. They are also one of the plants to choose if deer are a problem in your area (okay, not a problem in Central Park). They are also very tolerant of various levels of sunlight. In general, they are a great complimentary garden component to Daffodils, Tulips, and just about any other spring blooming shrub imaginable, adding a beautiful shade of blue that is otherwise extremely rare at that time of year. They have grass-like, gracefully arching leaves, and make good border and container plants. Grape Hyacinths are possessed of a very subtle and lovely fragrance, so if you see one in Conservatory Garden, take the time to give it a whiff. Just remember, no touching.

Grape Hyacinths come to life just as everything else is dying down. Bulbs are planted in the fall. In established plantings, the leaves will emerge in late summer and persist through the winter, making a nice looking winter border along paths, etc. They will tolerate very cold weather, down to at least zero, but may experience some damage in extreme weather. They flower in early to mid-spring, and after flowering, as with most bulbs, the leaves should be left intact until they die back. They are propagated by seeds or by separating their bulb offsets, which is the more common way.