By Hillegom, iBulb
It may be still cold and wintry outside but it could be almost spring inside. Cheery pre-forced bulbs are the perfect way to welcome the coming arrival of spring. Their colors and fragrances can recharge your batteries.
Like a breath of spring
The first haze of green on the willow and the first brightly colored flowers… During the winter, these are what we can hardly wait to see. Pre-forced bulbs are a quick and easy way to give your home that springtime look. Have lots of fun with a mix of vividly colored tulips (Tulipa), crocuses (Crocus) and daffodils (Narcissus). Or suggest the stillness of winter with white or bright blue: white daffodils (Narcissus) or grape hyacinths (Muscari).
Underground
The growth process from bulb to flower continues to amaze us: how can such a small bulb grow into such a splendid flower? Try this sometime: remove the flower bulbs from their pot and you’ll be astonished at the roots that grow every which way and form a clump around the bulb. They’re actually too pretty to hide.
The sweet smell of spring
Smells are a link to the seasons and add to an indoor experience of outdoor fragrances. A fresh sweet scent provides a nice little preview of the approaching spring. Many bulb flowers are scented with fragrances ranging from a slightly sweet suggestion of spring to a more intense sweet and spicy smell. Close your eyes and imagine yourself in the middle of the bulb fields. The only thing you still have to envision is the chirpy twitter of birds!
Locally produced
Did you know that the process of getting flower bulbs to bloom in a warm greenhouse is called ‘forcing’? Growers who specialize in this are sometimes known as ‘bulb forcers’. Just like food products and cut flowers, you can also buy locally grown pre-forced bulbs. This is almost always done by family businesses that have worked with flower bulbs for decades. Every autumn, the flower bulbs are planted by hand in pots. They then receive the professional care they require for proper development. As soon as they are almost ready to bloom, they are delivered quickly to retail outlets so that you can have them grow and flower at home. Enjoy!
Little care for lots of enjoyment
Pre-forced bulbs require little care. Put them in a place that receives plenty of light and give them a little water now and then. Did you know that pre-forced bulbs can also be put outside?
Tips
- Create your own beautiful flower garden indoors. Combine the more familiar pre-forced bulbs such as hyacinths (Hyacinthus), daffodils (Narcissus) and grape hyacinths (Muscari) with the less familiar varieties such as the Checkered Fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris), Striped Squill (Puschkinia scilloides), Siberican Squill (Scilla siberica) and Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis).
- Remove the rootball from its plastic pot. Place this carefully (so that the rootball remains intact) in a glass vase or pot for a constant source of amazement.
- Your choice of pots, baskets, and vases will coordinate your pre-forced bulbs with your own style of interior design. Or just put them in a shallow bowl, pail or even a paper bag for a little change of pace.
