Daffodils

I love Daffodils. They are amongst the earliest of spring flowers and they're SO easy to grow. They'll take any amount of bad weather and still come up cheerful at the beginning of spring. What a way to get rid of the winter blues!

They are said to symbolise friendship and were first mentioned in the 6th Century AD by the Prophet Mohammed. The name includes Jonquils and White Narcissi. They come in a variety of colours, ranging from yellow through trumpets of yellow, orange and white and all kinds of combinations in between. They vary in size from enormous five inch flowers on 24 inch stems right down to the tiniest of miniatures that are about 2 inches tall from bulb to bloom.

The Greeks and Romans enjoyed Daffodils and the Romans brought them from the Mediteranean to Britain.

Daffodils multiply by bulb division, so you can end up with large clumps of flowers after a few years. New varieties are produced from seed by pollination by the wind, insects or humans. This isn't a process for the impatient though as it can take up to 5 years before the new plant will bloom.

That being said, the bulbs are simple to plant and the spring show comes year after year for all to enjoy. They are very tolerant of cold weather, so grow throughout Britain and in many parts of North America.

If you have an area of grass, woodland or an orchard then Daffies are perfect for naturalising. Planting bulbs of the same colour flowers results in drifts of cheerful spring flowers. Once you've planted them, the bulbs will last for years and they require very little care.

For more information on suitable varieties for drift planting see this site...

http://www.daffodil.org/daffodil/naturalizing.htm

The bulbs should be planted in October, before it starts to get cold. Plant them about 6 inches deep and if you have heavy clay soil then put a small handful of gravel in the bottom of the planting hole to help them stay well drained. You can also add a little bulb fertilizer and/or fish meal to give them a boost. Cover them with soil and press the soil firmly around them. Now all you have to do is wait for Spring!

Depending on which source you read, the flowers are associated with rebirth and new beginnings, chivalry and regard. A single bloom means misfortune where as several means joy and happiness and are the flowers connected with a tenth wedding anniversary.

Plant them in your herbaceous borders and they'll brighten up your garden before other flowers come into bloom. Then, when the flowers are finished their untidy foliage will be hidden by other perennial plants. You can deadhead them but leave the leaves so that the bulbs can continue to be fed. You'll then be able to enjoy a spectacular show next spring too!

I have a little clump of Tête á Tête from Thompson & Morgan in my front garden. They are gorgeous in early spring and give a lovely touch of bright colour to an otherwise plain border.

On 15th April 1802 Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy came across what they described as a "long belt" of daffodils. Two years later Wordsworth wrote this most famous of poems and published it in 1807. The more commonly known version was released in 1815.

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