Hyacinths are familiar to us as potted bulbs that flower around Christmas. The bulbs are specially prepared for early flowering by heat treatment, although naturally they flower in March.

These early-forced flowers are much appreciated for their pristine quality, colour and sweet scent. Forcing is also the route by which many hyacinth bulbs end up in the garden. When they have finished flowering indoors, those hyacinths that are not dumped right away, or allowed to wither miserably, can be planted out in the garden and given the chance to grow and flower again.

While many hyacinth bulbs planted out do not succeed in flowering again – and fall foul of snails and slugs, or are engulfed by weeds or garden flowering plants – some do. These may flower successfully for many years.

When they are planted out, the foliage has usually grown long due to the lack of light indoors and flops around.

This does not matter and it should not be cut away, which sometimes happens. Given a sunny spot in good soil and without severe competition, the bulbs will flower again.

Although, sometimes it take them two or even three years to build up strength and bulb size to flower, others flower the following year. The first flowers produced can be quite small, but good, fertile soil and a shake of general fertilizer in spring will increase the flower size in following years.

Hyacinths flower in March and April, at the same time as most daffodils and early tulips. For some reason, probably because of their relatively large flowers, they look bulky and solid on their own. They look much better when mixed with other spring bulbs or bedding plants to lighten their appearance, like tulips, daffodils, wallflowers, anemones, primroses and pansies.

Hyacinths have long been grown in formal flower beds, in town parks and public gardens. These bulbs are usually discarded when the bedding plants are taken out, but they can be planted out too. They can be very effective in pots and window boxes, even in baskets, because they bring such flower power and rich colour. Although not often considered for naturalising under shrubs and trees, they can perform well in this role, even in grass, if the soil is well-drained.

The palette of colours is quite big. For a plant that originally had deep blue flowers, it has been bred and selected to provide practically every colour.

Most varieties are blue or pink, but there are also white kinds, orange, red, purple and yellow.

There are also double-flowered forms which are very full and almost too heavy, and kinds with several smaller spikes of flowers per bulb with looser florets on the spikes. These are called multiflora types and are gaining popularity because of their natural appearance.

There are hundreds of varieties and few flowers can offer such a range of value and use, and it is no surprise that they are so popular.

Raspberry ties

Raspberries and other cane fruit, such as loganberries, tayberries and cultivated blackberries, have flexible canes that are not very strong and easily flop about and get damaged. For good crops, the canes should be tied into position on support wires supported on posts, tying them in with soft string that does not cause chafing of the stems. Better quality fruit is produced because of less damage to the foliage and tying in keeps the cane fruit out of the way of other plants. As the season goes on, new shoots for next year’s crop are produced and these should loosely tied in to secure them. Autumn-fruiting raspberries should be pruned close to the ground now and they will quickly produce this year’s fruiting stems.

This week

Flowers

Perennial flowers can be planted now. Sow seeds of marigolds, petunias and dahlias in a warm place or a propagator, otherwise wait and buy plants in May. Lifting and dividing of herbaceous flowers should be completed by now, but can still be carried out as long as the plants are watered occasionally until they re-establish fully.

Trees, shrubs & roses

Rose pruning should be finished but can still be done if you didn’t get the chance. Bush roses and repeat-flowering climbers showing growth of new foliage should be sprayed against blackspot disease. Finish any planting of bare-root plants and moving of shrubs.

Fruit, veg & herbs

Pruning of apple and pear trees and blackcurrant bushes should be completed. Fruit trees and bushes should be planted as soon as possible. Potatoes can be planted and most vegetable seeds can be sown as soon as conditions allow.

Lawns

Lawns look tired due to low temperatures and most will need some feeding to provide a boost, especially those that grew poorly last year and have a lot of moss. Use mosskiller if there is heavy growth. Mowing should have been carried out at least twice. Lawns can be filled in if there are bare patches.

Greenhouse & house plants

Start off begonias and dahlia tubers for summer flowers. Check for greenhouse pests and spray if necessary. Feed and water all greenhouse plants regularly. Sow seeds of tomatoes, sweet and chilli peppers.