Yesterday I pulled the car over to take a photo of a grouping of grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum). The temperature was in the low 40’s and by the minute the weather changed from overcast to partial sun, to rain showers, to snow showers. The grape hyacinth loved it.

When I was a kid we had grape hyacinth growing in the yard under spruce trees. It was a dry, shady spot and they would reliably bloom every spring. They never formed a clump but getting anything to bloom under those trees was a miracle. Once the bloom was done you forgot they were there.

I’ve never planted grape hyacinth because to me it’s an outdated plant, like yews and pachysandra. However, we should choose plants with the best chance of success where they’re planted while not becoming invasive.

How many plants thrive on the side of a cut in a ledge?

If you want early-spring color and have a dry spot with full to partial sun try Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum). There are plenty of grape hyacinth cultivars available that range in color from whites to shades of lavender and there’s even a double flowering grape hyacinth.