The process of growing bulbs indoors out of season is known as forcing. For this to work well you need to buy bulbs that have been prepared for indoor forcing. These are readily available from bulb suppliers and garden centres from mid summer through to autumn.

The most popular time for planting is September as then you have a fair chance of flowers at Christmas, but this will depend on the bulbs grown and the conditions.

Place the bulb in the vase to see where the bottom of the bulb rests, then fill the vase with water to just below the bottom of the bulb. The bulb should not be touching the water but it should be within reach for the roots.

Place in a cool dark environment, ideally a cellar or shed, and check weekly after a couple of months. Take out into the light only when the flower has fully emerged from the bulb.

For more tips and photos on growing bulbs in glass vases try the hyacinthvases blog.