This season’s spring bloom cycle has been noticeably different from the last several years. Normally purple Pasque flowers would be taking center stage and blooming at this time. However, it’s these little Grape Hyacinths that seem to be flowering in abundance this season instead. Perhaps climate change and drier colder conditions were more favorable to these Grape Hyacinths this year?
Some Background on Them
Alway curious, and to learn a bit more about them the results of my Google search yielded the following:
“Muscari is a genus of perennial bulbous plants native to Eurasia that produce spikes of dense, most commonly blue, urn-shaped flowers resembling bunches of grapes in the spring. The common name for the genus is grape hyacinth, but they should not be confused with hyacinths.”
Apparently grape hyacinths can spread very quickly and can be quite invasive. In my observations in photographing flowers in these gardens, these little guys have definitely had room to roam thus spreading freely!
So there you have it – in case you were wondering?
Adapting to What’s Available to Photograph
The Dwarf iris that I so love to photograph were not in there usual abundance this season. They were also much more short-lived than usual. And the Crocus flowers were almost non-existent.
As this was the case, one needs to adapt and photograph what’s available. Given how prolific Grape Hyacinths were this season, I decided to give these little fellas some time in the limelight with this post.
As an early blooming flower, they provide gardens with bright purplish-blue bell-shaped flowers in grape-like clusters standing about 6-8″ tall.
They really do look like little clusters of grapes. The flowers are small and dainty. With their upright flower clusters, they are hard to miss amidst the dryness of the rest of the gardens – which makes you wonder how they can be so hearty given the harsh conditions?
I am grateful for the opportunity to photograph these little flowers. Hopefully upon my next visit to the gardens there will be some Pasque flowers in bloom 🙂