Banish the Blues
Sweet smelling and early flowering, dainty Tazetta Group narcissi are a reminder that spring is on its way
Nothing signals the end to winter quite like a fanfare of brilliant da odils bursting from the ground. These much-loved bulbs brighten even the chilliest spring morning with their trumpet-like blooms in a range of colours, including every shade of yellow, paper white, orange and even pink. Combine varieties from the di erent da odil groups, and you’ll have flowers from late January all the way through to early May.
Da odils in the Tazetta Group are more commonly known as bunch-flowered or French da odils. Not only do they provide a splash of colour as the garden comes out of dormancy, but their clusters of up to 20 florets per stem have a deliciously sweet fragrance, which has led to their use in the production of essential oils.
Tazetta da odils are native to Southern Europe and North Africa, so they can be a touch tender. They need a hot, dry summer to do well, which is why they are so often used indoors and under glass to create early-spring displays. They are worth trying outdoors though, particularly in milder parts of the country or if you have a warm, sunny spot in your garden. Try them in borders as underplanting beneath roses and shrubs, in containers with other bulbs such as tulips or hyacinths for a classic spring display, or in a cut flower patch – a bunch of these dainty da odils cut and brought into the home will create a delightful display for up to a week.
Tazetta da odils have long been grown as a cutflower crop on the Isles of Scilly. In 1879, William Trevellick, a potato farmer on St Mary’s, spotted these semi-wild narcissi in full bloom in January and saw their potential. Taking advantage of the weekly freighter from the island and the new railway link from Penzance to London, he realised he could get early blooms to the London markets within 48 hours of picking, weeks before they flowered on the mainland. Trial bunches sent to market in a hatbox were snapped up, and Trevellick became one of the islands’ first flower farmers. Today, cut flowers are the islands’ second largest industry after tourism.