Narcissi and hyacinths remind me of Christmas. My mother would secretly plant the bulbs in October and keep them in a dark cupboard and then, just before the holidays, she would bring out crates of them from the cold boot room, magically about to flower. I adore them as cut flowers, too, but they last much longer when potted. And when the flowers are past their best, you can plant the bulbs in your garden to bloom again the following year.
Shopping List:
Grit, stones or pebbles
Wine box
Bulb fibre, such as peat or coir
Paperwhite narcissus 'indoor' bulbs or 'prepared' hyacinth bulbs
Stems of puss* willow (Salix discolor)
Trowel
Sphagnum moss
Method:
Sprinkle a generous layer of grit over the bottom of the wine box, to help with drainage.
Dampen the bulb fibre and add a thick layer on top of the grit, up to about 8cm from the top of the box.
Place the bulbs on top, making sure they're not too closely packed together - although remember there's nothing worse than a sparsely filled container. Add the accompanying stems of puss* willow in and around the bulbs.
Fill in around and just over the bulbs with more fibre and decorate the top with sphagnum moss.
Give the bulbs a drink of water and hide them away in a cool, dark place - ideally, at around 48°F/9°C.
Check on the bulbs now and again while they are in hiding. They won't need regular watering, but if the fibre is no longer damp, trickle on a little water. Be careful not to saturate the fibre because this will make the bulbs go mouldy.
The first shoots of the paperwhites should emerge after six to 10 weeks, and the hyacinths after eight to 10 weeks. Bring the box into the light to force the shoots into flower. This should take about three weeks.
From Inspire - The Art Of Living With Nature by Willow Crossley (CICO Books, £16.99).
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