Roman hyacinth

Jim McKenney jimmckenney@starpower.net
Wed, 09 Jun 2004 07:33:14 PDT
Dear All:

Earlier this year there was a thread concerning Roman hyacinths. I've
posted a photo to the wiki of a Roman hyacinth which has grown in my
Maryland garden for perhaps forty years. Take a look at:

http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/index.php/…

When I was much younger I was a terrible "species snob". I would have been
mortified to have commercially propagated hybrid material in my garden. I
ordered these hyacinths thinking I would be getting Hyacinthus romanus
(Bellevalia romana). When they bloomed and I saw what they were - garden
hyacinths, and not very good ones at that - I was disgusted. 

Luckily, they persisted; and now, older and wiser, I can really appreciate
them for what they are. They are nothing to look at, but the fragrance is
very good.  Garden hyacinths can be very well scented, but this Roman
hyacinth has a particularly clean, clear, potent scent, free on the air
like that of Lonicera fragrantissima. 

Jim McKenney
jimmckenney@starpower.net
Montgomery County, Maryland, USA, zone 7 where I'm really glad I'm not
anosmic. 


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