Carmine-pink, frilled bells bloom in abundance, smothering the stout stems of award-winning Hyacinth ‘Jan Bos,’ bringing vivid colour and exquisite fragrance into the home at Christmastime.

Recipient of a prestigious Award of Garden Merit from the RHS, watching these charming spring flowers bloom when the weather is still cold outside, you understand the reason they hold this accolade.

The specially prepared bulbs are despatched in September, and should be planted shallowly in bowls or containers, with the green tip and portion of bulb above soil level.

May also be forced in water by placing a prepared bulb in the top of a hyacinth vase, with the base sitting above, but not touching water level. Roots will rapidly form, seeking out the water below – a miraculous process which is fascinating to watch.

For Christmas flowers, keep your containers in a cool, dark place until the beginning of December when they can be brought out into the light.