Best of the bunch

Hyacinth These gorgeous spring bulbs are famed as much for their heady fragrance as their colourful showy spikes of flowers in shades ranging from white to deep purple.

Among the best blue flowered varieties is Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Blue Jacket’, which bears waxy deep blue flowers with purple veins, and ‘Carnegie’, which is white.

Plant them in early autumn for March or April flowering - but avoid touching the bulbs with your bare hands as they can cause allergic reactions - in deep, well-drained fertile soil in sun or partial shade, 10cm deep and 7.5cm apart.

You can plant them closer together in containers and they look amazing in large shallow bowls in single colours.

Make sure you place them close to the patio door or an open window which will allow you to inhale their fragrance on spring days. Plants can be lifted once the foliage has died down and stored in a cool, dry place until ready to be planted again in autumn.