Paperwhite narcissus are one of the most fragrant and easiest bulbs to grow. The heavily scented, spring blooming, white trumpeted flowers can be grown both outdoors in the garden or forced in containers where their wonderful sweet scent can fill a room.
Paperwhites can be planted outdoors in the fall. They prefer a sunny location but will tolerate some partial shade if that is all you have. Simply dig up the area you wish to plant in, scatter some bone meal or bulb food down and set your bulbs in place. (Make sure there’s at least an inch of soil separating the bulb food from the base of the bulb.) Then cover them up, water them in and wait for them to come up in early spring. Don’t forget that they look their best when planted in bunches.
The most popular way to grow paperwhites is to force them to bloom indoors during the winter. Simply fill a shallow bowl or container halfway with decorative stones or gravel. Place the paperwhite bulbs onto the stones, pushing them down just far enough so the bulbs are supported in an upright position. You can place the bulbs fairly close together; they don’t mind being crowded.
Add water just to the bottom of the bulbs. If the water covers too much of the bulb, they can rot. Now put them in a cool, dark place for one to two weeks. When the bulbs begin to root and the plant has started to grow from the bulb, move your container out into a brightly lit room. Four to six weeks later, your paperwhites should be ready to bloom!