Hyacinths inside out

So if you've ever admired the gorgeous displays of fragrant hyacinths on display during the festive season, here's how to do it yourself.

- with DIARMUID GAVIN

First you need to buy bulbs that have been prepared for flower earlier. This means they have undergone a chilling treatment to accelerate their flower formation and trick them into blossoming earlier.

These will be labelled "prepared" as distinct from regular hyacinths that you plant outdoors for spring flowering. This is also called forcing bulbs, encouraging them to flower ahead of schedule.

Choose plump bulbs that show no signs of rot or shrivelling and wear gloves when handling them as they can be an irritant to skin. You will also need some bulb compost as your growing medium.