Springtime Fragrant Flowers: Hyacinth

Hyacinths are my favorite spring flowers along with daffodils.

I have many visual and scented memories of both flowers from my childhood. My parents grew them in our garden in England and their colors and scent would brighten up even the dreariest of days. Also, their resilience would always surprise me as they inevitably came back each spring.

While daffodils are almost instantly striking and can easily cover entire fields with their sunny and bright yellow presence, hyacinths are at first hidden and shy in their tight buds. However, they truly express their personality once they are in full bloom and showcase their incredible colors, fleshy petals, and air-filling aroma. Hyacinths smell a little like daffodils and a little like lilacs but have deeper and greener aromatic nuances.

While hyacinths smell delicate and transparent during the budding phase, their aroma becomes heady and powerful as the flowers open. This aroma is verdant, damp, almost carnal. In later stages of their life, you may even detect a hint of animalic decay. I always think of the purple and indigo hyacinths, but these flowers also come in shades of pink, lilac, apricot, yellow, and cream. What’s incredibly charming is that hyacinths of different colors have different aromas, from green to spicy, from sweet to delicately milky.

In perfumery, hyacinth adds green and dewy accents that remind me of freshly cut flower stems. You can find it in classic green florals like Chanel Cristalle (Eau de Toilette), Estée Lauder Private Collection, and Guy Laroche Fidji, or adding cooler and refreshing touches in powderier creations like Vivienne Westwood Boudoir or Teone Reinthal’s Irises. You won’t be surprised to hear that I own and love all of these fragrances!

Darren Alan, owner and perfumer of the Pennsylvania-based line that carries his name, sent me a sample of a pomade that smells exactly like hyacinth flowers in springtime. He harvests the blooms from his garden every spring and processes them through enfleurage to perfectly capture their gorgeous aroma. This is, by far, the best and most realistic hyacinth scent I have ever smelled.

Do you like hyacinths? Do you have any favorite fragrances that include this note?

All photos were taken by me or provided by Darren Alan, as indicated. I’d like to thank Darren for the hyacinth enfleurage sample. The other fragrances I mentioned are from my own collection (purchased by me or gifted by family and friends).