'​White Magic' Grape Hyacinth Bulbs

​Muscari White Magic

White Magic starts to open its dainty, 12-20cm, pointed flower spikes from early April. The individual flowers have a fresh greenish tinge, gradually changing from the base upwards to crisp white, and the flower stems are a lovely zingy apple green, with rich green foliage. The scent is lovely too.

A variety of grape hyacinths is essential for the spring garden, so have a look at our blue grape hyacinth here, or browse the rest of our garden bulbs.

A wave of the wand

Unlike some of the more rampant azureum types, Muscari aucheri is well-behaved. If you use it at the front of flower beds as a neat, low border to other, taller spring bulbs, it won't end up flopping and spreading into lawns and pathways.

These white spring bulbs are so versatile, they combine with all other spring favourites in pots and window boxes. In beds and borders it lights up the ground level and banishes the winter blues with a sprinkling of pure bright white.

It's fabulous in pots and planters: make sure there are plenty for impact, and mingle with rich Delft Blue hyacinths and pale blue grape hyacinths. A pretty combination is with dwarf daffodil Hawera, or keep to a fresh white and green colour palette by combining it in pots with white Carnegie hyacinths and perennial variegated thyme.

In borders, create a drift of newly fallen snow alongside a river of Blueberry Ripple tulips; both flower April to May, and it's a combination that will stop you in your tracks. Another great partner here would be fresh white and yellow Budlight tulips, creating a spring froth of white, yellow and green. Planted under deciduous trees and shrubs, they're natural winners, as long as the ground isn't too soggy. Go for quantity for impact, popping them in generous drifts, or naturalise them in clumps in the lawn. Although they may look delicate, they're not in the least fussy, and they'll soon settle in to come back year after year without help.

Features

• Colour: white, opening from greenish buds
• Height: 12-20cm
• Scent: highly fragrant
• Flowering: April
• Bulb Size: 6/7cm
• Planting Depth: 10cm
• Planting Months: September-November

Grow them indoors

Grape hyacinths are some of the best spring bulbs for 'forcing', for early indoor flowering.

First, chill the bulbs for 10-12 weeks in the fridge, in a paper bag where they won't get soggy or freeze. Plant them in pots of multipurpose compost mixed with horticultural grit, and leave somewhere cool, like an unheated garage, for a couple of weeks to sprout. Once you can see the shoots peeking through, bring them indoors to flower in a cool room with good light.

Plant grape hyacinths such as White Magic in rockeries, borders and containers. They can also be naturalised, but they tend to do best where the soil is well drained.

The principal requirement is a decent amount of spring sunshine b muscari grow best in a sunny spot with a little summer shade.

Space them about 5-8cm apart when planting b White Magic bulbs will spread to occupy more space. The planting hole should be about three times deeper than the bulb is tall. The pointy end is the top...

Water in dry spring weather. Allow the foliage to die back naturally before removing.

By all means apply a high potash fertiliser during the growing season to help bulk up the bulb for next year. Lift and divide clumps if flowering is poor.

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