In the case of the Paperwhite Narcissus, many people love them, but hate the smell. There are actually several varieties of tender tazetta Narcissus, and some have a much more agreeable version of the aroma than others. The variety Ziva is the one most often found because it is the most floriferous but, unfortunately, it is also the one with the strongest scent of musk in its fragrance. The variety that I like the best is called Bethlehem in North America and Nony in Europe. It has a much fruitier aroma with less musk, but you could try several different ones and see which you like best. The variety called the Chinese Sacred Lily (which is none of those!) as well as the all yellow Grand Soliel D'Or also have scents that are much lighter and less musky. If you can't find a local source for some of these varieties, they are available online or by mail order from the wonderful Wisconsin bulb company McClure & Zimmerman. Here is the link to their paperwhite page.
Paperwhite Narcissus can be forced in either potting soil or water. The choice depends on the container you will be using. If it has a drainage hole, you must use potting soil, if not use water with something like aquarium gravel or coarse sand to be an anchor for the roots. Whatever you use, there should be about 2 inches of space below the bulbs for the roots. If the container is too shallow, they may heave themselves up and become tilted or fall over. Don't plant them any deeper than the widest part of the bulb. As soon as they are planted, water them thoroughly. The rooting process will not begin until you do this. When you grow them in water, they should be wet only to the top of the rooting area on the bottom of the bulb, but they need the water consistently that high. In potting soil, let the soil dry slightly between waterings.
