Hyacinths

I'm not a big fan of hyacinths. I tried them at my last house. The first year, they were gorgeous. I had planted them around the wrap-around porch and every time I walked out of the house, I was literally surrounded with their fragrance. But each succeeding year, they declined like tulips until after a very few years, they were quite scraggly and downright ugly. I decided to stick with grape hyacinths which were multiplying in the beds and in the lawn.

I didn't bother planting any hyacinths at this house. There was one pathetic one in the backyard next to the shed. I considered digging it up and throwing it out, but I thought it was on its way out anyways, so I would just let nature take its course. I dug a bed along the side of the shed and planted around it. Every year I cultivated the bed, being very careful not to disturb it. I dug in compost every spring and shredded leaves and grass clippings every fall to nourish the sunflowers and pumpkins I grew there.

Imagine my surprise when the hyacinth didn't die. My amazement grew as the hyacinth grew. Each year it has returned bigger and with more flowers.