Muscari Mountain Lady - Grape Hyacinth

Muscari Mountain Lady is a recent hybrid variety, not widely available in the horticultural trade, sought after in Europe and the United States. This unique little plant forms bicoloured, stout inflorescences in the shape of pyramidal clusters in spring. They bloom in a multitude of small white urns, which gradually take on pretty sky-blue to icy-blue hues at the base over time. They emerge from a clump of dark green grassy foliage. This perfectly hardy, unusual but lovely, unique variety thrives and naturalises easily in border beds, rockeries, or containers.

Muscari Mountain Lady is a small bulbous plant from the asparagus family, reaching a height of no more than 10-15cm (4-6in). It is a herbaceous plant, deciduous in summer, forming clumps of very narrow, dark green leaves. From March to April, the plant bears numerous bicoloured spikes composed of small urn-shaped flowers, 5-6cm (2in) long, with a fairly wide pyramid shape at the base and crowned with a curious little tuft of white flowers at their tips. They are unusual because they have two colours on the same inflorescence; the older flowers at the base quickly turn blue, while those towards the top remain white creating a beautiful harmony of royal blue, sky blue, very pale blue, and icy white.

Muscari mountain Lady is hardy down to -15°C (5°F) and thrives in sunny or semi-shaded positions, planted in moist and well-drained soil, in border beds, rockeries, or containers. You can combine it with spring-flowering bulbs such as botanical tulips, daffodils, or blue hyacinths (Blue Pearl, Rembrandt). Muscari is a rather discreet but versatile and very useful plant in a garden or for brightening up homes without gardens. Its great resistance to cold allows it to be used in many situations: at the edge of woodland, along a border to highlight the design of a pathway, in a rockery with heathers, or in Japanese-style gardens. It also grows very well in containers, on a windowsill or balcony.