hyacinths

Saturday afternoon we popped along to Waterbeach, just north of Cambridge, to view the National Hyacinth Collection. The collection is held by a chap called Alan Shipp. We went along for the first time last year, it was just so magical that we had to return this year for another look! The photos are a mix of those I took last year and a few from this year, it was just so windy this time round that I didn't manage such good shots. Aren't they amazing though? The vivid colours, the regimented rows, the black fen soil. Though I don't want my garden to look like this, I do want lots more sweetly scented hyacinths - I've been buying them for the past few weeks and I hope to order some from Alan or pop along to his bulb sale in August. I'll plant mine in the grass in natural drifts, hopefully this time next year I'll be able to show you.