end of December 2016

I'm worried whether the hyacinths upstairs in the living room are getting enough light. The room faces west and doesn't get any direct sun. A lot of them are pretty short, as they were last year, but I don't know if that's their position in the house or down to natural variations. The only way to know is to compare like for like bulbs. I will have to do it more scientifically next year (this year's questions are: opaque vs translucent vases and prepared vs unprepared bulbs).  Delft Blue hyacinth, below.

this is a Silverstone hyacinth (in vase 65) just coming into bloom

also Silverstone right below

close-up of that green vase (64) above right

close-up of the bottom shelf

that green vase on the left above is Delft Blue

Down to the kitchen windowsill which faces east, this hyacinth in bloom I purchased as a "Skyline" from the bin of bulbs at the garden centre, certainly not the purple Skyline flowers I had last year

Delft Blue hyacinth, bit small but ok flower, that white hyacinth to the right, just starting to open is from Sainsbury's - you don't need expensive (or prepared) bulbs for forcing!