Delightful daffs –the inside story
Want to enjoy colour and super scent in winter’s darkest days? Here’s how...
IN MY early 20s, I worked at a horticultural college, where I was responsible for looking after its range of glasshouses. One autumn, the head gardener presented me with several bags of daffodil bulbs, giving explicit instructions that they were to be raised indoors and not planted in the surrounding gardens.
Until then, I’d considered daffs a hardy, spring-flowering tribe, but these bulbs were different. Commonly known as paperwhites, they originate from the sun-kissed climes of the Mediterranean and are not reliably hardy, making them only really suitable for growing undercover in Britain.
The bulbs were popped into pots in the narrow borders that ran down the inside of the heated glasshouse corridor. I didn’t have to wait long to see some action. Shoots soon poked their noses above the surface, and within eight weeks or so a host of 12in stems were carrying multiple, 2in-wide flower heads.
Their appearance in early winter certainly took this novice horticulturist by surprise and I soon fell in love with the snowy white blooms and their achingly delicate, paperthin petals. Best of all, the flowers of Narcissus papyraceus filled my workspace with a glorious sweet scent for weeks on end.
Over the years I’ve discovered a host of other bulbs that are ideal for growing as houseplants, providing an early fix of colour, vitality and, in some cases, a delectable scent that is far nicer than any chemical air freshener. This includes several other daffodils, along with numerous hippeastrums and hyacinths.
In the past, bog-standard Narcissus papyraceus was the only paperwhite that was readily available, but these days there are a number of good varieties, such as ‘Ziva’, ‘Ariel’ and ‘Scilly White’. Other daffs to grow indoors are yellow ‘Grand Soleil d’or’ and ‘Erlicheer’, with its white and yellow blooms.
For an impressive display, plant several bulbs closely together in a container – three or four in a 6in pot is ideal – making sure the pointed tips are just showing. Water and place out of direct sunlight to encourage flower shoots to develop. Try planting up a container every couple of weeks for a succession of winter blooms.
When shoots are about 1in tall, move containers to a bright, sunny windowsill. Indoor daffodils sometimes produce their first flowers in as little as four weeks and will provide many weeks of interest.
If stems become long and lanky, stake with a stick and encircle clumps with raffia or garden twine.
Hailing from Central and South America, hippeastrums boast exotic flowers in a wide range of colours and shapes, from large trumpets to a group with thin, wispy petals that are known as cybisters. Blooms are held on stout stalks that measure anywhere from 6in to 3ft in height. Their bulbs are massive, so pick a container that is wide and deep enough for a single one to fit comfortably. Set with its neck and shoulders above the surface of the compost, and place on a cool, south-facing windowsill to stimulate growth. Flowers will appear in about two months and last for around three weeks. Hyacinths can be tricked into flowering early using a technique known as forcing. Snap up bulbs labelled as ‘heat treated’ or ‘prepared’, and place several in a bowlshaped container filled with multi-purpose compost. Space closely together, but not touching, ensuring the top half remains above ground. Water lightly, place inside a cardboard box to deprive of light and stow in a shed, garage or cellar. Check regularly, moving to a cool windowsill when they have formed 1in-long shoots. When flower buds appear, transfer the pots to a warmer spot to enjoy a display that will last for three to four weeks.
I love their snowy white blooms and the delicate petals