sweet scent of purple

sweet scent of purple

hyacinth's curly florets 

blooming by the front door

The luscious fragrance of Hyacinth is one of those scents that takes me back to childhood. And so, like my mother, every year I plant a few bulbs in a pot to "force" them to bloom indoors. Then on warm spring days, I set the pot outside the front door. The intense aroma draws our neighbor's honeybees into the vibrant magenta and deep indigo throats of the many small blossoms. In the evening I set the pot on the dining table and the intoxicating perfume quickly permeates the whole house, lingering even after I put the pot back outside in the morning. And every day I eagerly watch as each silvery spear of buds emerges from the encasing green leaves and slowly unfolds a pom pom of curly purple florets.