Daffodils for Spring Colour

Daffodils are the epitome of cheerfulness. Roadsides are flooded with the cheery, nodding yellow heads of the common cultivars that have the brightest yellow on strong, upright stems. These are the most familiar of flowers but there are many other lesser known cultivars of the ubiquitous daffodil that can add a touch of sophistication to the spring border.

Designing with Daffodils

It is easy to succumb to the large sacks of bulbs, often containing mixed varieties or bog standard bright yellow cultivars. And why not? Plant them and there will be a blaze of colour en masse for a couple of weeks. However, nothing but some awkward, tangled stems that yellow and look unsightly until they compost down will remain. With a bit more thought, daffodils can give so much more. Choose by variety, by flowering period, by height and then by flower colour to achieve a display that can last much longer and have more impact. There are hundreds of varieties to choose from. The Daffodil Society has detailed information about the types available.

Where to Plant Daffodils

Daffodils will thrive almost anywhere as long as the soil does not become too waterlogged or is in full shade.

Planting in Borders

Although planting daffodils in flower borders is the traditional way to display them, this can become a problem. Putting a spade through clumps of bulbs every time you want to plant something or filling buckets with bulbs each time you work on the bed can be a chore. However, it is worth it and if the border is well planned at the start, there is no reason why bulbs and herbaceous perennials cannot co-exist. One way round this is to plant bulbs in pots and submerge them where there are gaps in the border. These can then be lifted and stored until next year, or swapped out for the next variety that will flower in succession. Narcissus ‘Jetfire’ is an attractive cultivar for borders. Remember to include bulbs in the planting scheme for new borders and include them from the start. Planning a successional planting scheme can alleviate a lot of hard work and provide a very satisfying, lower maintenance garden that looks after itself.

In a border in early spring, there isn’t much competition from other plants so shorter varieties can be used. Later on, more plants begin to emerge so longer varieties are better to stand tall above the emerging foliage. Tidy minded gardeners often shy away from bulbs because of the messy foliage. This problem can be overcome by planting bulbs through groundcover or in amongst shrubs or other plants that will come up to cover unsightly foliage.

Planting into Lawns or Wildflower Areas

Naturalised bulbs are stunning in drifts. Spacing is crucial to achieve a natural effect. Buying bulbs in bulk it is easy to lay out rows which can look very unnatural. In nature a clump would be a group of a few flowers together that spread out in an exploding star shape, randomly spread from the centre of the clump, with a few solitary bulbs around too. This is much more appealing and is easy to do. Throwing the bulbs to get a random scattering also works and the effect can be tweaked until it is aesthetically pleasing.

Choose a softer yellow or white variety on shorter stems to plant through grass. Narcissus ‘Thalia’ is a beautiful white. The unsightly yellowing stems will be outgrown by the grass and can be mown over once they have browned, usually in May or June. The UK’s native daffodil, Narcissus pseudonarcissus, is a delicate, pale yellow flower with a large cup and short stem. It is very attractive in large drifts through grass and is good for wildlife.

Planting in Pots or Raised Beds

This is when the dwarf and scented cultivars come into their own. Varieties with intricate features or tiny flower heads that waft sweet scent from the back doorstep are a necessity. A good choice is a variety that has white petals and a deep orange cup, Narcissus canaliculatus. ‘Tete a Tete’ is a well known variety that is reliable and cheery. It works well in pots, raised beds or naturalised in grass. To plant, fill the pot with a layer of grit at the bottom or some crocks to add drainage then use ordinary compost, allowing the bulbs to be planted at about 3x their height in depth. They can be brought on by placing the pot in a greenhouse or even indoors. Creating a naturalistic effect in a raised bed by using drifts of small or dwarf varieties can look very pretty, particularly with alpines and other small varieties of spring bulbs. They can also be planted in spring hanging baskets.

Lifting and Planting Daffodils in the Green

Don’t be deterred if you have read this and it is already daffodil time and you haven’t planted any yet. Bulbs are very resilient to being moved when they are ‘in the green’. Just ensure that the bulb comes up with a substantial amount of the roots still attached, plant them at the same depth, water them in and enjoy them. Many daffodil varieties can be bought in pots for instant impact. Look out for bargains at the end of the season when they are often sold off because they no longer look appealing. The bulbs will be fine, ready to come again and fill the garden with cheerfulness next year.

Daffodil Gardens and Festivals

You can also visit many places with excellent displays of daffodils and any article would not be complete without reference to William Wordsworth. His garden at Dove Cottage in the Lake District has a fine display, ‘Fluttering and dancing in the breeze…’