Best of the bunch

●● Hyacinth These highly fragrant bulbs producing showy spikes of blooms in shades predominantly of purple, pink and white, are particularly effective in containers by the patio door, so when you venture outside on spring days you’ll immediately catch a waft of their heady scent.

I think they look best in single colours in containers and are less likely to flop outside than they are indoors.

You can’t beat Hyacinthus orientalis for fragrance - good varieties include ‘Blue Jacket’ and ‘Carnegie White’, but you can get many other colours including primrose yellow and apricot orange.

Either plant them on their own, 2-3cm apart, or space them out for room for other plants between.

If you want a mass effect, plant smallergrade bulbs densely, just 1cm apart. Hyacinths can be grown in pots of any depth, provided the bulbs are covered with 3-4cm of compost and there’s at least 6cm of compost underneath them.