Narcissus Ideas, Tips & Guides

This year our daffodils only had one or two blooms. In other years it was a blaze of yellow. This has never happened before. What is going on? – AC, Co Galway

As was clear from many Six on Saturday posts this weekend, spring is very much on its way in the UK and some other northern hemisphere gardens, so spotting signs of it is a doddle, with spring bulbs very much to the fore. It was only after I snipped the contents for today’s vase that I remembered my intention to pick some of the double Narcissus ‘Tête Boucle’ from the baskets usually hanging at the front of the house, but removed to allow installation of external installation (delayed numerous times, unsurprisingly due to the weather) and now languishing largely unseen at the side of the property instead. Perhaps they will still look as good next week?

Sadly, there were neither blue skies nor sunshine yesterday, when I created this vase, and if I had checked the forecast when I first got up I would have searched for and picked blooms, popped them in a vase and photographed them first thing, when it was at least dry. As it was, however, with other commitments later, I found myself dashing out in the rainy late afternoon to find something I could quickly cut and display and photograph.

Daffodil Blindness occurs when daffodils fail to flower, i.e the green leaves appear, but no flowers. I am updating this post formerly released in 2014 as I have just experienced  annoying blind daffodils.

I must be honest and say that the petticoats are not velvet, but two pots of hooped petticoat narcissi in the Coop, Narcissus bulbocodium ‘Arctic Bells’ and ‘Casual Elegance’ (above); what is velvet, however, is a plant recommended for a cool greenhouse by well-known UK nurseryman Bob Brown. I was trying to find suitable contenders for the Coop and bit my tongue as I tried to ignore that it has yellow flowers – I am glad I did as the foliage is not only delightful but tactile too, and as a plant it has sailed through two winters with negligible attention and without batting an eyelid, looking every bit as smart as it did when I first bought it. Let me introduce you to Oxalis spiralis ‘Sunset Velvet’ (below):

There’s nothing like a spring container to celebrate the fact that we’ve turned the corner, leaving winter behind us. From bright yellow daffodils that yell ‘Spring!’ to more subtle narcissus that whisper the change of season, or from the lush green of ferns to a sweet-shop display of tulips, there’s a spring container for everyone. And the beauty of a container (a small one at any rate) is that it’s portable so you can move your pot of joy to wherever you’ll see it most – right on your front doorstep, or just outside the kitchen window so you can gaze at it while doing the dishes! Our choices include recommendations from the Gardeners’ World team and familiar faces from across the gardening industry.

In the rich tapestry of Chinese culture, flowers are symbols of their tradition. Whether you are a gardener or an artist, these will inspire you to grow them for sure!

The garden screams ‘Promise’ at every turn, offering up joy on every ramble. Buds of Prunus mume ‘Beni Chidori’, tight little pink balls for several weeks, have begun opening and allowing yet another fragrant winter plant to delight us in these leaner months. A picture of the tree, below, does not give a good indication of its real impact, but at least the close up of some of the blooms does.

With his partner Graham Robeson, Alan Gray has developed Norfolk’s East Ruston Old Vicarage into a remarkable 32-acre garden. From colourful crocus to cheerful narcissus, bulbs are vital to their borders.

Planting narcissus is about timing. In cold places, like the North, plant in fall from late September to late November. In warmer areas, plant in late fall to early winter. For moderate regions, mid to late fall is best. If planting indoors, chill bulbs for 12-15 weeks, then plant in well-draining soil. Place the pot in a cool, dark spot until shoots appear, then move to a sunny place. Learn more below.

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As a plant parent, knowing which blooms can pose a risk to your feline companions is vital. Cats’ curiosity may lead them to nibble on plants, and some can cause a range of health issues. Below is a concise list of Flowers that Are Poisonous to Cats, highlighting harmful chemicals and associated health problems.

From traditional soil planting to innovative water-based techniques, we’ll explore Different Ways to Grow Narcissus that’ll surely tempt you into growing one!

Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.

As all good gardeners know late September marks the beginning of the spring-flowering bulb planting season. Pop these fleshy, modified stems in the ground this autumn and you’ll be casting a kind of horticultural spell that will magic up a world of beauty, a form of horticultural alchemy that never ceases to amaze.

With judicious planting, you can have a run of flowering from early February to late May, starting with snowdrops, crocuses and Iris reticulata, and ending with late tulips such as ‘Queen of Night’. In beds, alliums and camassia extend the show further.

Wondering what blooms to plant with your new daffodils? There’s an amazing range of seasonal plants to partner with your favourite daffodils and narcissi bulbs.

How do you chose the best flowers to grow for scent? Well if you want good scent in the home I recommend some flowers below that cut and last in a vase and provide nice scent.

Fritillary, Buttercups, Bluebells, Tulips and Narcissus all in the same shot, what more could you ask.

Snowdrops are officially called Galanthus. This snowdrop is Galanthus elwessii with larger than normal blooms and a honey scent the other main species are Nivalis and Plicatus. The snowdrop is very hardy, grows in most soils and prefers partial shade.

I promise myself I’ll do this every spring: cut one of each kind of daffodil here, record it with the camera, track down its name. And then spring gets away from me. I did manage to get the dozen above and another few below so far, though, before they withered; I missed the little extra-early guys–again.Comparing old notes and current catalog photos, I did pretty well with this batch, but that small-cupped yellow beauty (bottom row, far left, of top photo) with the orange rim is going to elude me, I can just tell, and some of the others look like certain varieties except they’re smaller or bigger than they’re supposed to be according to the listings I can find. Here’s where I am so far (with my “notes to self” in parentheses):Top p

Hyacinthoides hispanica, or Spanish bluebells, used to be called Scilla, and also Endymion. I have some mixed colors (pink, white, pale blue) acquired by those names growing in quite-shady spots from eons ago, where they have just carried on with virtually no care. Lately, though, I wanted to make more of a deliberate show, and ‘Excelsior’ (a nice blue), at about 15 inches high, came highly recommended.Other Spanish bluebell plusses: Animals don’t eat them, they can tolerate a fair amount of shade, are very hardy (Zones 3-8), naturalize well (meaning they multiply and persist, so keep that in mind when placing them), and as mentioned require no care.The scaled-down Narcissus above called ‘Hawera’ (Zone 4-9) is animal proof (like all daffodils) and naturalizes easily, too. Each 6-to-8-inch-high stem produces multiple fragrant pale yellow nodding flowers with tiny cups. Its delicate stature is deceptive; this is one tough little bulb