Hyacinth advice needed please.

[kirsty b]

Hi all, I have a question regarding potted hyacinths.
I liberated them from work because potted plants tend to get left to die after a while, especially when we have busier shifts.
My question is this: can it go in the garden? It has finished flowering now, but it would look nice outside, but if they can go out, when can I do it?

I also have a begonia that I rescued from a bin at the firm where I do cleaning work. Can that go outside when the weather is better ie. no threat of frost so it can become established before it gets cold next winter?

Thanks
Kirsty

[Crazy Chickie]

Hi Kirsty,
You can put your Hyacinth outside and it should do even better next year than it would inside, I've done this many times and I live up in Scotland. Not sure about the begonia, other more experienced folks might know better but I should think that she could go out after all frosts have passed like you suggested, though up here I would take it in over winter. Maybe you could put it in a nice pot and keep it outside in the summer and put it in grnhouse/conservetry/porch through the winter.

[Alice]

Hello KirstyB, you can plant your hyacinth outside and it will do well, but the flowers will not be as spectacular as in the prepared form.
As for your begonia, they are not winter hardy. You can have them in the garden after last frost, and in before first frost, but they will not tolerate the weather in between.

[kirsty b]

Thanks very much both of you. I'll start looking out for a pretty pot to put the begonia in.

[SMS6]

Another Hyacinth question

Has anyone on here come across a variety called 'King of the Blues'? A family relative fell in love with these on a visit to the Lost Gardens of Heligan because they are a really deep blue.

Since then I have been trying to track some down, unfortunately Heligan didn't sell them on in their shop and couldn't/wouldn't reveal their supplier

I found some in the US but they don't ship to UK.

[lainey lou]

Make sure you wash your hands well after handling the hyacynth bulbs can't remember but they are either poisionous or a skin irritant (or both!).