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If you’re the kind of person who yearns for spring, plant hyacinths! These flowers bloom in mid-spring, and they’re some of the easiest, most striking spring perennial bulbs to grow. Popular in gardens since the 15thcentury, hyacinths were made into perfumes by the French beginning in the 17th century. It’s easy to understand why: Their intense fragrance is intoxicating.

Hyacinths are also quite eye-catching with long, strappy leaves and a single flower spike with tiny, tubular florets covering it. They come in many lovely shades ranging from palest pink to deepest amethyst. Hyacinths also are not particularly tasty to rodents, so they’re a great option for spring color if you have inquisitive chipmunks or squirrels that dig up your other bulbs such as tulips and crocuses. Because hyacinths need a period of chilling in order to flower, they do best in USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 8 (find your zone here).

Here’s what else you need to know about this beautiful spring flower:

Shop for the bulbs online or locally, though they’re typically only available in the fall at local nurseries. Online retailers have the best selection and will sell bulbs year-round but ship when it’s time to plant in your area. If choosing the bulbs in person, select firm bulbs with a papery covering. The bulbs should never feel mushy or smell bad. Try to plant bulbs as soon as possible after receiving them.

You’ll need to plant bulbs in the fall for blooms the following spring. You can plant them all the way up until the ground freezes, but don’t do it more than six weeks before the first frost in your area because the ground will be too warm. Also, plant them in small groups or swaths, rather than onesie-twosie here and there, for the maximum impact.

Pick a spot in full sun, which is 6 or more hours of direct sunlight per day; even areas shaded by deciduous trees can work because the bulbs will bloom before the trees leaf out in spring. Dig a hole that’s about 2 to 3 times as deep as the diameter of the bulb, and pop the bulb in the hole pointy side up. Space bulbs about 3 to 4 inches apart so they have room to multiply. Replace the soil, tamp down, and water well.

After the flowers fade, cut off the flowers so it puts energy into the bulb, but leave the foliage in place until it dies back on its own in about 6 to 8 weeks. You may be tempted to cut the leaves back or tie them up to make your garden more tidy, but don’t do it! The plant needs its leaves to photosynthesize and make food for next year’s flowers. If you cut off the foliage too soon, you won’t have any flowers next year. Once the leaves have yellowed and flopped over, it's safe to cut them off.

If you received a hyacinth as a gift plant, plant it in the garden after you enjoy its display indoors. Plant the bulb (with its foliage intact) outdoors after the ground thaws. Most of the time, it will flower again in subsequent years. Bulbs forced in water, however, won’t have enough energy to bloom again, so toss them in the compost pile. In the fall, feed all your bulbs with a granular time-release bulb food; many experts don’t recommend bone or blood meal because it can attract digging rodents.

Unfortunately, all this beauty is not safe for pets. Hyacinths are toxic to cats and dogs and may cause GI distress, tremors, and depression, according to the ASPCA. If you suspect your pet has taken a nibble of the plant or bulb, call your vet immediately.

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