Bargain buy turns spendy

This post could also be titled "You know you're old when..."

A few years ago I put in a flower bed around this large garden rock. Some of the white dianthus that came back this year were looking pretty sorry in their old spot, so I moved them to this up-front-and-center real estate where I'd previously had a nice show of violas. I mixed in some crimson salvia for contrast.

Tonight I was feeling good about myself, having gotten in most of the plants I'd purchased over the last couple of weeks. I even remembered to throw in a little peat here, a little organic matter there.

So in a moment of supreme but tired satisfaction, while checking out the dianthus/salvia combo to see how they were faring in the chilly weather, I notice this guy poking out of the ground off to the left of the rock:

Hmm, I think. Wonder how he got there? Obviously a bulb, but my experience with bulbs is minimal. Pretty sure they can't arrive by carrier pigeon. Also pretty sure my neighbors didn't plant a single bulb to surprise me. Looks different than my tulips, which are already sprouted up on the other side of my driveway.

Later, while excavating in the garage to find a garden tool that hasn't been used yet this year, I discover this:

Oh yeah, got these on sale along with the tulips last... fall...

And then it dawns, the lightbulb comes on, the "Oh, man!" groans come forth.

My mind shoots back to a rather cold day in October or November. Ten hyacinth bulbs in the package, but where to plant them? Wouldn't they look so nice rounding that rock?

Just one was far enough to the left to escape my vigorous soil prep for the dianthus/salvia. Not so proud now, realizing that last year's find... what was probably a $5 bag has now turned into a single $5 hyacinth. Gee, I hope it's lovely!