introduction
Flower bulbs can equally well be forced indoors on pots with soil, but the forcing on glass vases was always the popular way of forcing bulbs indoors. Pottery vases were produced to force bulbs on water as well, but they were never as popular as glass vases.
The main reason to force bulbs on glass was that, apart from seeing the developing plant, one could watch the rooting of the bulbs in the water. In belly-shaped reservoirs this rooting is even more interesting. The roots look bigger as the belly works like a magnifying glass!
A French footed and a Leerdam hyacinth vase.
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Thanks to the use of clear glass, you can see exactly how the bulbs develop.
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Learn how it grows
Parents thought it important for their children to be able to watch the growing process of flower bulbs. For the same reason schools organised projects for forcing hyacinths on water. That is why so many vases were made of clear or light-coloured glass. Although – good for the collectors – many vases were also made in various deeper colors. Glass vases were also often etched, carved, engraved or decorated with artistic designs in enamel paint or made of opaline (opalescent) glass. In such very beautiful vases the developing roots were not always very easily, or not at all, visible.
pots instead of vases
In the last five decades, indoor forcing of flower bulbs on glass vases has declined. People rather began to buy bulbs ready to force on pots. And yet some enthusiastic indoor gardeners are again taking up the old tradition. It is simply more fun to do it all by yourself and watch the process of rooting, growing and flowering.
If you’re interested in forcing flower bulbs on glass, it’s good to know that part of my unique hyacinth and bulb vases is for sale. Take a look at my collection and let me know if something catches your eye!
Two modern square vases.
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unique hyacinth (bulb vases) and handmade oil paintings
The unique collection of hyacinth vases (bulb vases) belonging to Wim Granneman is for sale, as well as his handmade collection oil paintings, inspired by the vibrant flower bulb fields of the Bulb District (Bollenstreek) in Holland. The vase collection includes many more than shown on the website and is available as a whole or in sets, for instance by country of origin. Parts of the vase collection and oil paitings have been exhibited in various museums.
Interested? Please don’t hesitate to get in touch.