the perseverance of bulbs


The force for change in a bulb is immense and unstoppable. Only two weeks ago I posted a photograph of this little pot of hyacinths in their stubby green-shooted infancy. Ten days later they were bursting into life and beauty, and today they look like this:


What you can't see is the scent, the pure white, heady and elegant perfume that wafts around the house when it is warm, and is held close and tight to itself when the rooms cool down for the night.

When I was an art student I filled a sketchbook with drawings of tulip and hyacinth bulbs from their tiny first shoots to their final blowsy browning overblown fullness. There is something powerfully optimistic about bulbs and their wilful desire to grow towards the light and then bloom, fully themselves, knowing that this is their moment.

15 comments:

greenrabbitdesigns said...

I agree about bulbs being optimistic, I feel the same about a packet of seeds.
Vivienne x

Anonymous said...

They look lovely and I like the way the twigs have unfurling leaves too.

My bulbs are not as forward as yours since they are on a very cold windowsill but I expect them to look and smell great when they finally bloom.

rossichka said...

The hyacinths are so tender! I can imagine how their smell makes everyone in the house feel better! I haven't bought a tulip bulb yet, but I have a Rhipsalidopsis, the so called Easter Cactus, that is going to blossom very soon! :))) -
https://www.google.bg/search?q=Rhipsalidopsis&hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=54d&tbo=u&rls=org.mozilla:bg:official&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=60v9UILcAsbSsgbapYGADQ&ved=0CDYQsAQ&biw=853&bih=407

Vintage Tea Time said...

Lovely photos. Hyacinths are just beautiful, aren't they? Amazing scent. Clever of you to use the twigs :-)

Unknown said...

Gosh I love hyacinths, their scent is stunning. Yours are lovely x

Alison said...

Those are so exquisite, thank you for sharing the images of the unfolding. Next year I shall look for hyacinth bulbs, to bring the scent here to Acorn Cottage..

Frances said...

Sue, my own little first crop of paperwhite narcissus have just about bloomed to their fullness. The second crop might begin to bloom by this weekend.

I think I will start another small crop of bulbs, and may choose hyacinths, to give them a chance on the small stage of a deep windowsill. I do make a very appreciative audience.

I saw snowdrops abloom in Central Park yesterday. So far, we have no actual snow.

xo

Sue said...

I love the scent of hyacinths, haven't got any yet but I think I will pop down to the garden centre and pick some up, they'll cheer us up on this grey chilly day!

JP said...

I also love the positivity of bulbs!!! got 2 hyacinths plus mini daffs. I used to plant my own but now wait until they are in the supermarkets as they are so cheap. If they get too leggy i cut them and put them in avase - you often get bulbs in bouquets at this time of the year - glad you are blogging again - missed you!!!

MILLY said...

Looks like it came straight out of the pages of country living magazine, gorgeous. I greet each morning with the same strong scent, love it. Hope to see you posting again soon.

Pam said...

I love the look of that bowl of hyacinths - so much so I have gone out to get some for myself!
P x

Rosie said...

Oh yes! I have an amyrillis bulb which from an unpromising brown blob is now producing (literally at the speed of light) wondrous green shoots .... An everyday miracle is it not?

Annie Cholewa said...

What Sue said!

Actually I had planted some, but they bloomed and died through Christmas and New Year. The smell was pure heaven!!

the veg artist said...

The layout of this house means that I can smell bulbs really well from my bedroom, and, after the first year here, I'm afraid I gave up on hyacinths. The smell was so strong it was stopping me from sleeping!
Narcissus and crocus for me this year - two pots each, planted at differing depths so that (hopefully) I'll have flowers for ages. Then we plant them out in the grass!

Dois Cafés said...

they are gorgeous! :)