Some friends on their way on vacation left us five bulbs of Hyacinths (Hyasinter/Svibler) in a box yesterday. I have never had them in the house before although they are regarded as the Christmas flower. That will probably change now because I simply love their fragrance besides the fact that they come in all kinds of colors. I put the bulbs in two vases and I think they make a nice decoration in the living-room. By the way, I just read that it is just the roots which are supposed to be covered with water, not the bulbs.
Photo: Kristin Bae Mysen
The name Hyacinth has an interesting origin. In Greek mythology Hyacinthus was a very handsome prince from Sparta admired and loved by the two Greek gods Apollo and Zephyr. Apollo was the god of art and sun and Zephyr the god of the west wind. The two competed for the boy’s love who ending up choosing Apollo something which drove Zephyrus mad with jealousy. When Apollo and Hyacinthus were playing with a discus, Zephyr blew west wind at them causing the discus to hit the boy’s head and he was killed. Grieving Apollo made a beautiful flower spring up where the boy’s blood stained the earth. He named it Hyacinth.
