Yellow trumpets herald the close arrival of spring
As the daffodils burst into colour, Scottish estates working to preserve rare varieties prepare to reveal their hard work, says our expert Agnes Stevenson
Last week, while most of the country was blanketed in snow, here in the southwest there was hardly a flake. And while it did drop to –5C overnight, that’s almost tropical compared to the –22C experienced on Deeside.
We are fortunate that in this balmy oasis spring arrives early and in my neighbour’s garden the buds on her daffodils are already bursting.
I suspect the reason is not just that these grow in a sheltered spot but they may also be an early-flowering daff, one of a handful of tall, trumpet varieties that can beat even the hardiest of small narcissi in the race to flower first.
A few days after I’d spotted these first signs of spring, a photograph arrived from Brodie Castle in Moray, showing the tips of one of their earl daffodils, a variety called “Coulmony” that was bred at the castle, emerging through the snow.
Brodie has played an important role in breeding new varieties and in March and April the estate is covered in drifts of yellow. This year the beds where these historic varieties grow may have to remain closed, but the wider estate will be open under Covid regulations, allowing local visitors to enjoy the spectacle.
It’s the same at Backhouse Rossie near Cupar in Fife. This estate has played a huge role in the development of the daffodils we grow today. During the 19th Century three generations of the Backhouse family kept up this work and today their descendant, Caroline Thomson, continues the tradition.
She has not only restored the walled garden at Backhouse Rossie but she has turned detective, hunting through records both here and in London, that have led to the rediscovery of some of the Backhouse varieties that had been lost to cultivation.
Today many of those lost bulbs flourish at Backhouse and two in particular,“emperor” and “Empress” have played a vital role in creating the UK’S daffodil trade.
“More than 90% of the daffodil flowers and bulbs sold throughout the world are grown here,” says Caroline.
“And the majority of those will have ‘Emperor’ or ‘Empress’ somewhere in their lineage.”
Daffodils still enjoy the attentions of breeders and collectors today and for the last few years Backhouse Rossie has hosted the Scottish Daffodil
Festival where visitors come to enjoy the cheerful sight of so many beautiful daffodils.
This year the festival is taking place on line, on April 17 and 18 and details can be found at backhouserossie.co.uk.
And if you are worried how your daffodils have fared during the recent cold spell, then Caroline has reassurance for you.
“The tips of the leaves may turn brown, but otherwise your daffodils will be fine,” she says.