National Collection of Bellevalia
In the world of Muscari cultivation there are many varieties which have lovely names… but who fail to live up to expectation.
I think Muscari ‘Ocean Magic’ is an exception. There is something very much like an ocean wave in its colouration as it opens its buds. A real beauty, well named.
Sometimes it is not about the flowers being fully open.
Sometimes there is just a perfect moment, when the lower flowers are just opening, the buds are still displaying their interesting early colour and the flowers at the top are looking amazing in the low light of a gloomy afternoon.
Muscari pulchellum pulchellum is more than living up to its Latin name today.
In the world of Muscari the concept of a ‘Giant Form’ is somewhat relative.
For example, I measured this Muscari anatolicum ‘Giant Form’ this afternoon and discovered it was the grand total of 13cm high!
Another one of those ‘not blue’ Grape Hyacinths. I find the curious white and pinky grey Muscari commutatum album fascinating… but then I am obsessed!
It’s not all about blue and purple in the world of Muscari. 
In addition to its cheerful yellow flowers, Golden Fragrance smells lovely too!
I have a number of new bulbs this year which I have been eagerly anticipating. 
Muscari adilii has not disappointed, with its fat little collection of deep violet flowers tipped with white. What a beauty!
Let flowering commence!
While I have a few new comers in the collection this year, Pseudomuscari coeleste is, once again, the first of my lovelies to open its buds in the bright February sunshine.
This species is a native of Southern Cappadocia, Turkey.
Coeleste in Latin refers to divine, celestial, heavenly bodies.
The flowers begin with a tight conical raceme of blue green buds. These open as pale blue campanulate flowers with darker blue stripes down the centre of each tepal. They remind me of old fashioned striped pyjamas.
As the flowers age they turn a deep lilac blue. They have no discernible scent.
The leaves are a mid green and not much longer than the flower spikes at maturity.
My bulbs were purchased from
Further details about the species can be found at
I imagine that anyone looking at the collection of pots outside my back door at this time of year would question my sanity. I appear to have spent no small amount of time amassing and potting plants which, at this point, mostly offer grass like leaves which all look the same. And that’s even if they’ve bothered to poke their noses through their gritty compost yet.
Ah, but while I’m willing to admit Muscari madness, I can not agree that they all look the same.
There is Muscari macrocarpum Golden Fragrance, looking fresh, tall and strong.
There is the somewhat lax and lazy Muscari commutatum alba, lolling about.
For a spot of colour we have Muscari verticillaris with a reddish infusion at the base of the leaves.
Then there is Muscari Mount Hood, each bulb sending up 5 or 6 strong green leaves apparently making a grab for any sunshine they can find.
While Muscari mirum is content to make minimum effort on the foliage front.
To me, of course, they are all interesting and all hold the promise of the best being yet to come.
But then, just as I was ready to go in for a cup of tea I spotted this…
It’s the first year I’ve grown Muscari adilii. I wasn’t sure what to expect. It turns out he’s so excited about flowering he can’t even wait for his leaves to grow.
Gardeneasta 