Daffodils
It's hard to believe papery brown daffodil bulbs planted late autumn will rise into soft and scented trumpets. But they do, and daffs are one of the most reliable spring bulbs going, coping better than any other bulb with wet ground and competition from grass, to flower even when frost kisses their petals. There are hundreds of varieties to choose from, but when it comes to combing through the catalogues, what matters is the flowering time. Some perform months earlier than others and so, by combining early and late daffs, it's possible to have flowers from January to early May. That's more than 100 days of blooms!
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You can also play with succession by planting the same variety in sunny and shady spots. Those planted in the sun will flower early, followed by those daffodils in colder spots, to produce a Mexican wave of colour around the garden. And when it comes to colour there's a wider range than you'd imagine: not just the golden daffodil, but acid-yellow ivory, white with an egg-yolk or salmon centre, and even pink. With such a selection of colours, shapes and sizes there really is a daffodil for everyone. Whether you prefer the natural look or the more flamboyant, there are types from traditional golden beacons to doubles that look almost like peonies, tiny six inchers to big trombones. So get planning and planting now for your biggest-ever spring show.
The Art of Naturalising
Naturalising the Tenby daffodil, Narcissus obvallaris, on the grassy banks of any garden is superb, where it spreads by seed to create spectacular swathes of golden yellow in April. It's quite a rounded flower, with a large trumpet, on foot-tall glaucous stems. It's just tall enough to poke its head above long grass. N. pseudonarclssus, the other native ideal for naturalising, is also a beauty, but slower to establish. You don't have to stick to a single species to get a good look. Mixing a few together gives a great effect, provided they are natural looking, single flowered varieties. In the West Country a random mixture of daffodils runs through the hedgerows, encouraged by mild springs and moist air. The profusion is partly due to garden escapees, but others are colonies planted long ago by farmers who sold them at Covent Garden market.
Plant in grass any time from now until October after soil has been moistened and made easy to dig by autumn rain. For small areas, cut a circle of turf with a trowel, dig a hole and plant the bulbs to three times the depth of the bulb. Then replace the soil and disc of turf.
If you have lots of bulbs to plant or the soil below the grass is compacted, use a spade to lift strips of turf. Fork over the soil to make it workable, adding a sprinkling of bone meal. Throw your bulbs over the soil so they fall randomly and plant where they land (pointy end up) to three times their depth. Replace the turf and water well.
Plant in grass any time from now until October after soil has been moistened and made easy to dig by autumn rain. For small areas, cut a circle of turf with a trowel, dig a hole and plant the bulbs to three times the depth of the bulb. Then replace the soil and disc of turf.
If you have lots of bulbs to plant or the soil below the grass is compacted, use a spade to lift strips of turf. Fork over the soil to make it workable, adding a sprinkling of bone meal. Throw your bulbs over the soil so they fall randomly and plant where they land (pointy end up) to three times their depth. Replace the turf and water well.
Get The Best Display
- Improve flowering on light sandy soils by digging in plenty of compost when planting.
- Add sharp grit or sand on heavy soils as bulbs need good drainage.
- When planting dig a hole large enough to take at least five bulbs.
- Fork bone meal into the base.
- Space apart bulbs at least twice their own height and width apart.
- Trowel soil back over the bulbs and gently firm in.
- Water bulbs at planting time - they should then receive enough water from winter rains.
- Wait at least six weeks before mowing daffodils in grass.
- Give them tomato fertiliser once a week until the leaves die back.
Minnow
MARCH-APRIL Clusters of cup-and saucer flowers top the pencil-length stems of this dainty Tazetta hybrid in March and April. It's a great little daffodil for the front of the border reaching just 18cm tall. Planted en masse, I find its sweet penetrating scent almost overpowering but if you want a bulb that can fill your and your neighbours' gardens with fragrance, then this is it! It clumps up rapidly, growing best in full sun - without it minnow can be reluctant to flower. |
Dutch Master
APRIL If you want a classic daff with bright golden trumpets and a delicate scent, then this is for you. It's perfect for Easter vases, growing 45cm tall and is strong enough to grow in grass. Plant in drifts to break up an expanse of lawn or under hedges. |
Rijnveld’s Early Sensation
JANUARY It is not global warming that makes this all-yellow variety flower so early. It flowers naturally by Christmas in a South facing spot, and by early January elsewhere. Though most daffs are small at this time of year, this variety has large windmill style flowers and reaches 35 cm tall. It is not scented but it is very weather resistant, so it is good for the more exposed parts of the garden.. |
Sweetness
MAY At 20cm high this jonquil daff is so small it needs to be planted where you can see it, in pots or window boxes, It is extremely fragrant so position it where you can enjoy the delicious smell. |
Quail
APRIL This variety reaches 40cm tall and makes an elegant and natural looking alternative to big traditional trumpets. Although it looks quite delicate, with slender leaves, it's a robust daffodil that looks good in the border or planted in large drifts. Each stem has slender leaves and carries two or three canary yellow propeller flowers that sway prettily in the April breeze, releasing a scent that has a distinct vanilla essence. |
Hawera
APRIL-MAY A small daffodil that only grows 18cm tall, but with a strong musky fragrance and usefully late flowers. Its pale-yellow flowers emerge out of grassy stems and leaves, while its petals curve backwards, giving it a shuttlecock look. It's a classic for containers. |
Cheerfulness
APRIL Double flowered daffodils aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but this one’s a winner in my book. It’s a strong grower that has been given a RHS AGM, and it reaches 40cm tall so is good for a mid border position. |
February Gold
FEBRUARY-MARCH Named spring bulb of the year 2012, it is a perfectly proportioned, eager looking flower, with swept back golden petals. It grows upto 30cm tall and the blooms last for weeks thanks to the cold, preserving weather at that time of year. This daff is big enough to plant in drifts in a border, but won’t look out of place in small gardens or pots. |
Pheasant’s Eye
APRIL This is an all time favourite because it’s so neat with a sweet, citrus scent. It’s just the thing for a front garden to greet visitors. At 40cm it’s also tall enough to naturalise and overlaps with similar Acetea which flowers into May and enjoys the same growing conditions. |