When I think about spring, the first thing that comes to mind for me are the flowers! Some of the most beautiful and fragrant flowers bloom in the springtime. They represent the start of a brand new year. The season of renewal at it’s very best! Here are just a few that are the very definition of spring.
Tulips
Tulips are always the first of my spring flowers to bloom each year. One day the beds are covered in snow and the next time I look, there they are! There is often still snow in the forecast yet they are there, announcing in no uncertain terms that Spring has arrived.
I’ve always had a love/hate relationship with these flowers. They are so beautiful but so inconsistent. At least at my house! One year I will have a gorgeous display and the following year… such a disappointment. Much like the man who refused to ask for directions, I went the wrong way so many times before asking for help. I found the help I needed in an old article that has saved me from a disappointing season year after year. It’s a great read for anyone who loves this flower. I’ve included a link at the end of this post.
I love having tulips inside to brighten things up after a long winter although I do tend to buy them rather than cut my own. Since I am out in the yard most spring days, seeing the tulips planted there always make me smile. I’m unwilling to give that up and somehow a bouquet of tulips always seems to leap into my cart anyways. Fresh cut tulips will last a lot longer if you care for them properly. This is not a flower you can purchase and just put in a vase and be done. Not if you want to enjoy them longer than a few days. Follow these steps and your tulips will stay beautiful for 10 to 12 days.
- Make sure to buy “young” tulips. Tulips that are tightly closed will allow you to see their beauty emerge and stay a lot longer.
- Make sure the stems are kept moist during transport. A wet paper towel will accomplish this. Any time out of water will cause premature aging which is also a term I use on myself every time I pass a mirror these days!
- Once home, make 1/4″ diagonal cut and remove any leaves that will decay in the water.
- Fill the vase with cold water and display them in a cooler spot in the room. Warmer temperatures will cause the flowers to droop very quickly.
- Top off every few days with cold water
Hyacinths
Hyacinths are some of the most fragrant flowers of the season. Since we are planning some outdoor renovations this year, I removed several of my bulbs for replanting in a new location this fall. But that doesn’t mean I can go through the season without that smell! Fortunately, I won’t have to!
I love growing Hyacinth indoors in water to avoid the mess. Patience is not always my strong suit but having started the process just a few weeks ago, I will be waiting awhile longer. I am looking forward to the day when I will see these gorgeous purple flowers and my kitchen will be filled with the scent of Spring!
It is a long process but such an easy one. However, starting with a cool bulb is critical to forcing your blooms. Mine, which had been stored in the shed this winter, were perfect. You can chill your own but it will take 12 to 14 weeks to cool it properly. That might be best saved for next year. You can purchase pre-cooled bulbs from any nursery to cut out the cooling time. However, while buying a bag of bulbs is quite reasonable, pre-cooled bulbs will double the cost in most cases. Being able to enjoy that scent inside this year might just be worth it though. Here are the steps to follow if you choose to go that way:
- Use a bulb vase or any container that will allow the bulb to sit above the water
- Fill with water almost to the base of the bulb. Bringing the water level to 1/4 “of the base is perfect. (Adding a tablespoon of aquarium charcoal will keep the water clean and clear.)
- Place the vase in a cool, dark place for about 4 weeks. A shelf in the garage in cooler climates would be perfect. Ideally the temperature should be from 40 to 55 degrees. You can place it in a refrigerator in warmer areas as long as there are not fruits being stored as well. ( Gas from the fruits will damage the blooms.) Change the water once during this process.
- Move indoors to a warmer spot once the roots appear in the water and growth at the top of the bulb has begun. A spot with a temperature of 60 degrees will be best.
- Once the shoots turn a deeper green and the blossom is visible, a brighter spot will help extend the life of your bloom. Be sure to turn the vase daily . Hyacinths reach towards sunlight so this will keep it from leaning in one direction.
- Enjoy. Breathe in deeply. It is Spring at your house!
Lilacs
Lilacs have always been my favorite flower. It is not just the incredible fragrance although that is a big part of it. But my love of lilacs goes deeper than that. Perhaps it is more that they were my mother’s favorite too. Mom had planted a bush next to the back porch the year they bought the house. By the time I came along it was full grown with several transplanted shoots to send the scent through windows in almost every room. I think of her every time I smell that wonderful scent.
She loved to tell me about the year she got married. They had planned a late spring wedding and lilacs were to be the focus of her bridal bouquet. Because it was an extremely cold winter that year, the lilacs were not cooperating with her schedule. Therefore, knowing how important this was to my mother, the florist did her best to force the blooms and made her a beautiful bouquet. She warned me though to choose a different flower when years later it was my turn. Forcing the blooms had made them fragile and although they were gorgeous in my favorite picture, they did not hold up well at all!
With such a short bloom time here in Colorado, I tend to bring them inside and fill every vase I can find. These pretty displays from last year’s harvest has me wishing we were a little farther along!
For three weeks every spring, I alternate between being grateful for the life I have and being nostalgic for the wonderful years past. Three short weeks is never enough! I have learned from my local nursery that splitting the stem a bit can keep my blooms longer inside. That does seem to help and I have found some amazing recipes for this edible flower as well. Some of my favorites I learned from a post I read a few years ago. You can check them out and try a few yourself. I have included a link below to several offered by The View from Great Island.
There are so many great articles on growing and caring for spring flowers. I’ve linked a few of my favorites here. Unless you are one of the lucky ones who was born with a green thumb, which is definitely not me, there will be something to learn there.
- 13 ways to get your tulips to come back
- Sweetly scented tulips
- Growing hyacinth indoors
- May lilac recipes
Check out some of last years floral displays in my Spring is coming post. Rest assured, I will be posting new ones this year!