An alternative to labelling is mapping, which removes the danger of physical loss of labels. Mapping systems tend to be very personal, but even the most basic, that of making a note of what varieties were planted in what border, helps. Nowadays, with pictures of most varieties available online with a few keystrokes, identification of a small number of varieties when in flower is easy, if they can be checked against even something as simple as a list.
Spring and early summer
AN EARLY GARDENING LESSON for many people goes something like this: “Don’t cut daffodil leaves off, or they will not flower next year.” It’s true that the foliage, which stays green after flowering, is feeding the bulbs, to build them up with nutrient stores for next year. Embryo flower buds are formed during the summer, too. Cutting leaves or tying them reduces the time and the ability of the plant to feed the bulbs, and however annoying it is to have clumps of increasingly tatty leaves in the border, stay there they must until they become at least half yellow—which sometimes may not happen until a month or so after Midsummer’s Day. Clearly there are planning and design issues here, and there is much which can be done to help hide the leaves (see “Daffodils in borders”). On the other hand—and contrary to popular opinion—picking the flowers does no harm, at least if the stalk is cut, rather than pulled.
Growing daffodils in grass
DURING THE LATER YEARS of the nineteenth century, it became popular to grow daffodils in grass, a situation for which their lifecycle suits them (unlike tulips, for which this treatment guarantees a one-year wonder). Drifts of bulbs emerging in spring from among grass creates the illusion that the plants are growing wild, evoking Wordsworth’s Lake District experience. The idea (originally Barr’s) was given a boost by William Robinson, whose book The Wild Garden (1870) gave permission to a whole generation to turn their backs on the excessive order and formality of the Victorian era’s gardening. The practice became known as “naturalising”—a term that is perhaps misleading, as it implies that a plant propagates itself by seed to become a semi-natural self-sustaining member of a plant community. In fact, daffodils almost never self-sow in rough grass, or do so only very intermittently; rather, they simply build up progressively bigger clumps. “Perennialise” might be a better term.
Many people’s enjoyment of daffodils is through mass plantings of bulbs in grass in public parks or along city or suburban roadsides. This can be achieved in the garden too, and not only with the full-size varieties usually used, but also with smaller varieties and species. A number of points need to be made, however, if long-term success is to be achieved.
Daffodils flourish best in grass if it is mown during the winter to reduce competition 1. ‘Princeps’ and other old varieties in grass at Great Dixter, Sussex 2; plantings here could be some of the oldest deliberately naturalised daffodils in Britain, as the owners, at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, were friendly with Gertrude Jekyll, who was among the first to advocate the practice. A wide variety of daffodils can be naturalised; these are in the orchard at Cotehele in Cornwall 3.
The daffodils will start to grow at the same temperatures as the grass, just keeping ahead of it, so it helps if the grass is cut short before the daffodils emerge, by the winter solstice at the latest. It should also be obvious that the grass should not be cut until the daffodil foliage begins to yellow, which may mean several weeks of increasingly long grass, and that cutting long grass will leave a bald yellow look after a such a late cut—beauty does require compromises!
Choose which daffodil varieties to grow in grass wisely—the best to use are ones known to be vigorous, which rapidly build up clumps. Most bulb catalogues are helpful in indicating suitable varieties, usually describing them (again, not with the best term) as “naturalising well.”
Deceptively frail-looking, Narcissus bulbocodium can be naturalised successfully in grass over a moist soil, as here at RHS Wisley, Surrey. A low-fertility soil will reduce grass growth and be beneficial to the bulbs.
Daffodils in borders
THE COMBINING OF BULBS with perennials in borders is a perfect way to ensure interest in spring, when the majority of perennials are only just waking up. The two are complementary in that while one is in active growth, the other is almost dormant—at least above ground. Deciduous shrubs too offer the possibility of a similar complementary relationship, but only if the shrubs are pruned in such as way as to create enough space beneath them for bulbs to grow unimpeded by branches and be seen.
The main problem with co-habiting perennials and bulbs is that of leaf remains after flowering. Clumps of daffodil leaves can be large and, as they slowly yellow, singularly unattractive in the border; and if groups are large, the mass of soggy, collapsing foliage may even crush smaller perennials. There are a couple of possible ways to reduce this problem. One is to grow daffodils behind vigorous, early developing perennials, such as species of Geranium, whose clumps of fresh growth and flowers will hide the daffodil foliage. Another is to not grow daffodils in clumps, but to scatter them as individuals—most will soon begin to form small clumps in any case.
‘Jack Snipe’ growing beneath a cherry tree at Broadleigh Gardens, Somerset, a nursery which specialises in small-growing bulbs. The area around tree bases is often unsuitable for grass growth, but spring-flowering bulbs are able to take advantage of good spring light.
‘February Gold’ with Leucojum aestivum and Scilla sibirica in a woodland garden. Daffodils are frequently grown alongside other spring-flowering bulbs to create attractive early colour combinations, the space being later occupied by summer-flowering perennials.
Long-term prospects
DAFFODILS INCREASE over time, so that one bulb produces smaller offsets around its base, which in time grow and have more offsets. Eventually large clumps build up, even to the extent of plants becoming clearly crowded with reduced flowering. At this stage, digging them up—or, as it has traditionally been known, “lifting”—is advisable, preferably after they have become dormant but before new root growth has started, generally during the mid-summer months. Bulbs can then be separated and replanted in new positions.
The speed with which daffodils build up to form clumps varies enormously. In the past, this speed controlled the rate at which the bulbs could be propagated and thus made commercially available. In recent decades, twin-scaling and chipping—two methods of cutting bulbs into small pieces and growing them on in nursery beds—have speeded up propagation. In the garden, most amateur growers will be happy enough with natural rates of increase, but they soon appreciate that speed of increase is extremely variable, with some varieties taking years to produce divisions while others rapidly form impressive clumps.
Daffodils grow well in light shade among woodland plants such as Anemone nemorosa in situations where shade reduces growth by later developing species. Seen here are Narcissus pseudonarcissus 1 and ‘Charity May’ 2.
Growing indoors
AS SIGNS OF SPRING, daffodils are appreciated as indoor plants, flowering much earlier than they would do outside. As such they should be regarded as temporary, to be planted outside as permanent garden plants once they have finished flowering. Bulbs need to be planted in containers at high density, so as to maximise the impact of the display, with just their noses visible above the surface of the compost. Any freely draining material sold as potting compost is suitable, although if the variety is a more valued one, it is worthwhile using a quality material, to ensure good nutrition for flower production for next year.
Bulbs must be kept cool and in good light until they are clearly about to flower, as premature heat can result in buds aborting—the bulbs need chilling to stimulate flowering and healthy growth. Once inside, maximum light is important, as even in the best conditions indoors, the lengthening of the stem caused by the plant stretching for light during a relatively dark time of year is always a problem. Tying the stems to light supports is often necessary.
Some daffodils are sold for Christmas fl
owering. The types of Tazetta sold as paperwhites will flower without compost, simply with the bulbs sitting on pebbles in a dish of water, within weeks of starting growth. Some other scented Tazettas, such as ‘Grand Soleil d’Or’, are sometimes sold specially treated to ensure that they will flower quickly. Despite their tall stems, other Tazettas make good indoor plants, particularly since their flowers are so heavily scented. In principle any daffodil can be persuaded to flower indoors, although in practice smaller varieties are often more practicable and attractive.
Small daffodils tend to do well in containers as there is less stem and fewer long leaves to flop about. They can be brought into heated rooms (although the lighter and cooler these are, the better) to flower at the end of winter and planted out later to give many years of pleasure in the garden. Seen here are ‘Jetfire’ AGM (Cyclamineus, Grant Mitsch, 1966) 1 and ‘Tête-à-Tête’ 2.
Idiosyncrasies
THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of daffodils are hybrids, and as with all plants, hybrids are easier to grow than species; the simple process of selection in garden conditions selects for clones of easy cultivation, while a major concern of almost all hybridisers is to produce robust, easy-to-grow plants with no particular likes or dislikes. With daffodils there are a few exceptions. On the “no fuss” side, Poeticus types and Narcissus pseudonarcissus seem particularly tolerant of year-round wet soil, but they also appreciate summer moisture, as do Small-cupped varieties (which have a high proportion of Poeticus genes) and Jonquils. Cyclamineus types have a tendency to prefer cool acidic soil, moist but well drained; the smaller the plant, the more acid the soil needs to be—reflecting the preference of the original species for woodland conditions. In regions with hot summers, Triandrus and Cyclamineus prefer some summer shade.
Tazettas are the most demanding, as the original species from which this group is derived hail from regions that experience hotter and drier summers than other daffodils, so their needs are closer to tulips—the plants will not repeat flower unless they have a hot dry summer to “bake” the bulbs; they are also less hardy. Jonquils too appreciate hot summers, but they are less demanding of them than Tazettas.
Most daffodil varieties are hardy down to USDA hardiness zone 3 or 4. Tazettas should be regarded as zone 5 minimum, although the Poetaz types, which actually includes most of the varieties widely available, are generally hardy to zone 4. True Tazettas in northern Europe may be hardy but need a warm and sheltered location to do really well, so they are ideal for borders on south-facing walls.
High summer temperatures or early and warm springs have an impact on daffodils. Trumpets tend to perform better in USDA zones 3 to 7, and so are less successful in the American South and similar climate zones in central to southern China and southern Japan. In these regions, Jonquils and Tazettas are particularly successful, with Narcissus tazetta actually naturalising (in the true sense of the word) in Japan, even growing by the coast down to the high tide mark. Jonquils have a particular association with the American South, where they are known as “sweeties.” Areas which rarely experience frost (zone 9 and above) can be regarded as difficult, although there have been some successes in growing daffodils in Florida.
These unidentified Tazettas are growing in a sunny spot on a bank in the Tamar Valley. If given a warm and sunny spot, many Tazettas will flourish and bulk up well over the years; they are much less tolerant of cold positions or climates with cold winters.
A trial of daffodils at RHS Wisley. The outcomes of trials are invaluable to gardeners and landscape managers looking for trouble-free varieties. The very best plants may be awarded the Award of Garden Merit (AGM).
Pests and diseases
MOST GARDENERS who grow daffodils have few problems with pests and diseases. Slug damage to buds, causing flowers to open shredded, is about the worst which most experience.
With whole acres devoted to a single crop, commercial growers are much more vulnerable to pests and diseases. In 1917 a disease began to seriously affect many British growers. Leaves became stunted and distorted, and hundreds of acres were lost; some growers were ruined. It turned out to be a microscopic nematode, or eelworm. The Royal Horticultural Society coordinated a research effort led by James Kirkham Ramsbottom, then only twenty-five years of age, at RHS Wisley, near London. He discovered that the eelworms were killed by a simple-sounding but actually quite demanding treatment—a four-hour soak in water at 43.3C (110F). Less than four hours or just under this temperature, and some eelworms survived; slightly hotter, and the bulbs would be damaged or killed. The addition of a small amount of formaldehyde, then commonly used as a sterilising agent in horticulture, helped ensure a one hundred percent kill. The treatment also works against another major pest, narcissus bulb fly. Cornish breeder and grower P. D. Williams was one of the first to apply the hot-water treatment; one of the varieties whose starting stock was saved was ‘Carlton’. Ramsbottom, however, tragically died a few years later, at the age of thirty-three.
Growers went to considerable and ingenious lengths to build facilities to treat large quantities of bulbs with hot water. One Tamar Valley smallholder, Fred Rogers, got hold of an old boiler from a tin mine to inject steam into large tanks of water, which he ran for about six weeks every summer. Being successful, he started to treat bulbs for other growers and went on to buy a purpose-built oil-fired boiler with electric hoists for lifting bulbs in and out.
Narcissus bulb fly maggots hollow out the centre of the bulb, causing blindness (all leaf, no flower) and sometimes bulb death. Commercial growers can use insecticides, but there is nothing available to amateur growers, at least in Europe. Ron Scamp sees narcissus bulb fly infestation as his main problem: “It can be treated chemically, but I don’t—you just have to accept it.” The solution adopted by most growers is that fundamental standby of good farming: crop rotation. “We rotate,” says Ron. “Only two years for one crop of daffodils and then five to six years without.” Commercial daffodil growers often rent their fields from more conventional farmers, who grow wheat, barley, potatoes, or pasture grass. Amateur gardeners can help avoid the problem by growing daffodils in cool, shady places—the fly seems to prefer plants in warm situations.
Basal rot, caused by a fusarium fungus, is another major problem for some growers and gardeners, especially on damp soils. It has probably all but wiped out many historic varieties, as there is considerable variation in resistance. Breeding fusarium resistance into new cultivars is something which is very much on the agenda for some breeders, but progress on this front is slow.
Viruses too are a problem for growers and, again, some varieties are much more severely affected than others. Commercially important varieties can be “cleaned up” through micropropagation in the laboratory; this has been done, for example, with ‘Grand Soleil d’Or’ in the Scillies. For domestic gardeners, however, viruses are rarely a problem.
PLANT LISTS
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
SOURCES AND RESOURCES
PHOTO CREDITS
INDEX
Plant Lists
THE BEST ALL-ROUND, TRIED AND TESTED
Whether the varieties in this first of four best-of-the-best short lists are “classic daffodils” or “big, bold, and brassy” is a matter of opinion.
Carlton AGM (Large-cupped)
Dutch Master AGM (Trumpet)
Golden Rapture AGM (Trumpet)
King Alfred (Trumpet)
Kingscourt AGM (Trumpet)
Marieke (Trumpet)
Saint Keverne AGM (Large-cupped)
White varieties in the Trumpet, Large-, or Small-cupped divisions:
Ben Hee AGM (Large-cupped)
Broomhill AGM (Large-cupped)
Empress of Ireland AGM (Trumpet)
Ice Follies AGM (Large-cupped)
Misty Glen AGM (Small-cupped)
Mount Hood AGM (Trumpet)
Other colour combinations in the Trumpet, Large-, or Small-cupped divisions:
Badbury Rings AGM (Smal
l-cupped)
Fragrant Rose (Large-cupped)
Glenfarclas AGM (Trumpet)
Irish Minstrel AGM (Large-cupped)
Lemon Glow (Trumpet)
Passionale AGM (Large-cupped)
The best of other divisions:
Actaea AGM (Poeticus)
Cantabile AGM (Poeticus)
Chinita (Tazetta)
Dove Wings AGM (Cyclamineus)
Falconet AGM (Tazetta)
Hoopoe AGM (Tazetta)
Ice Wings AGM (Triandrus)
Jenny AGM (Cyclamineus)
Rippling Waters AGM (Triandrus)
Rugulosus AGM (Jonquil)
Tuesday’s Child AGM (Triandrus)
REVERSE BICOLOURS
The following varieties offer an intriguing colour mix and are most reliable.
Binkie (Large-cupped)
The Daffodil Page 12