Sunshine GROW ON A STEM
Daffodils are harbingers of spring, raising the spirits after the gloom of winter. Louise Curley chooses her top 10
Spring wouldn’t be spring without the cheery sight of daffodils. Heralding the longer days ahead, they put a spring in our step and raise the spirits after the gloomy days of winter. They’re also relatively inexpensive, very easy to grow and, unlike tulips, come back reliably year after year. Daffodils are generally unfussy plants – they’ll grow in a degree of shade, can cope with wet soil and some are great for naturalising in grass. Not all are the classic golden yellow – you’ll find pure white, pale lemon, orange and hints of apricot. Some have characteristic long trumpets, others bear short cups, and there are frilly-centred doubles. From statuesque daffodils with large blooms to tiny dwarf ones with dainty flowers and all sizes in between, the choice can seem daunting, so here’s our guide to picking the perfect daffodil.
1 BEST FOR WOODLAND AREAS: NARCISSUS PSEUDONARCISSUS
Made famous by Wordsworth, our native daffodil used to be a common sight in woodlands and old meadows, but they’re harder to come across nowadays. Also known as the Lent lily, it has delicate pale yellow petals and golden yellow trumpets that are slimmer than cultivated daffodils. The flowers have a natural beauty that’s been lost in many cultivars, so they look lovely in wilder areas – plant under deciduous trees, in semi-shaded grass or at the base of a shady hedge. They gradually self-seed, forming natural drifts. H30cm (12in) S10cm (4in)
2 BEST FOR A POT: ‘MINNOW’
A tazetta type daffodil, distinguished by its sweet-smelling multiple flower heads with very short cups, rather than trumpets. Petite ‘Minnow’ is perfect for pots, forming neat clumps of slender upright foliage and clusters of up to five small flowers per stem, with creamy-yellow petals and flat lemonyellow cups. Plant in a sheltered spot that gets full sun so that the fabulous fragrance lingers. H15-20cm (6-8in) S8cm (3in)
3 BEST FOR EARLY FLOWERS: ‘RIJNVELD’S EARLY SENSATION’
One of the earliest daffodils to bloom – in mild winters and sheltered gardens it can flower as early as December. It’s a strong, weatherresistant cultivar that copes well when the weather turns wintry. A classic daffodil with golden yellow petals and trumpets. Plant a small cluster or two to bring cheer in the depths of winter, but leave plenty of space for the main spring display of other species and cultivars. H30cm (12in) S15cm (6in)
4 BEST FOR DAINTY DAFFODILS: ‘TÊTE-À-TÊTE’
One of the most popular and widely grown daffodils, and rightly so. This dwarf cultivar forms neat clumps of narrow, straplike leaves and short flower stalks, each topped with several rich yellow flowers. Tall daffodils look great in large-scale council planting schemes, but the lofty stems, mass of large leaves and robust flowers can seem too big in a garden. These dainty daffodils, on the other hand, feel much more in proportion and their shorter leaves don’t look so messy as they die back. H15cm (6in) S10cm (4in) ➤
5 Best for late flowers: Narcissus poeticus recurvus
Pheasant’s eye daffodils are some of the latest to bloom in mid to late April, with flowers lingering into May. Instead of a long trumpet they have small, red-rimmed, frilly cups and white petals, which are flatter than those of other daffodils. They have a fabulous scent and an elegance that makes them the perfect partner for tulips in border displays. They can also be grown in long grass where they’ll happily naturalise. H35cm (14in) S10cm (4in)
7 Best for unusual flowers ‘rip van winkle’
Bred in Ireland in the late 19th century, this is a fascinating heirloom cultivar unlike any other. Each flower consists of a cluster of spiky, narrow, yellowy-green petals, which makes it look like a starburst. Short in stature, it’s best planted in containers, raised beds or at the front of borders where the flowers can be appreciated. H15cm (6in) S5cm (2in)
6 Best for naturalising: ‘ice follies’
This large-cupped daffodil is robust and vigorous enough to cope with growing in tall grass. The creamywhite petals surround wide-flared, frilly-edged primrose-yellow cups, which fade so they’re almost as white as the petals. Lovely planted in drifts in grassy areas next to paths or drives. Flowers March-April and, like other daffodils, is deer and rabbit-resistant. Leave off mowing until the foliage has died down naturally so the bulbs are replenished with energy for flowering next year. H40cm (16in) S15cm (6in)
8 Best White floWers: ‘thalia’
this is a triandrus type of daffodil, characterised by stems with multiple flower heads. its one of few daffodils that have pure, snow-white petals and trumpets, which emerge from greeny-white buds in march and april. an historic daffodil, also known as the ‘orchid narcissus’, it happily spreads through garden borders. Plant with cool blues, such as muscari, brunnera, forget-me-nots and white bleeding heart (Lamprocapnos spectablilis ‘alba’) for an elegant spring look. h35cm (14in) s15cm (6in)
9 Best for fragrance: ‘geranium’
With its fabulously fragrant flowers March-April, this tall tazetta has up to six highly perfumed blooms, with deep orange, short cups that contrast with the pure white petals that surround them. Plant in containers near an entrance or path where you can appreciate their fragrance. Or, place a couple of stems in a vase. H35cm (14in) S15cm (6in)
10 Best for cutting: ‘cheerfulness’
this heirloom cultivar is one of the most fragrant daffodils – just a few stems in a vase will fill a room with heady scent. the blooms look a bit carnation-like, with ruffled creamy-white centres and flecks of custard yellow. cut daffodils ooze sap, which can clog up stems, preventing water uptake; it can also be toxic to other flowers. so, before arranging, plunge the stems into a bucket of tepid water and replace the water several times until the goo stops running. Wear gloves when handling because the sap is an irritant to skin and eyes. h40cm (16in) s15cm (6in)