This year St. Patrick is just a week late, last year he was a whole month late, presumably because of the ice and snow that we had last March. St. Patrick has only just started to open, but better late than never. With a sudden drop in the temperature over the last few days, flowers seem to be on hold for the moment, as if they don’t want to open any further, just in case.
St Patrick has arrived!
He is joined by Narcissus Geranium, this is the first of many that I planted in a drift.
Little Jack snipe always looks so neat and tidy, but I see that someone has taken a bite out of one of the flowers, is it who I think it might be?!
I can’t remember the name of this one, maybe Peeping Tom, but I love its long, frilly trumpet.
Lovely white Thalia has just opened, soon there will be lots everywhere.
I think this maybe Silver Chimes.
Ice Follies maybe? The trouble is I bought most of my narcissus before I started writing my blog and have forgotten the names of some of them.
Narcissus Jenny.
I think this is Narcissus Jonquilla.
Little Tete a Tete is still going strong, this is one of the first to flower here in February.
And last but not least, is King Alfred which originated in the next village to here. I don’t usually like the large narcissus because they blow over so easily in the wind, but as it is a local narcissus, I feel it ought to be represented in the garden. A friend has just bought the farmhouse where it originated and says she doesn’t have any bulbs of it in her garden, so some of these will be dug up when they finish flowering, and will go back home to where they first started, many years ago.
Who do you have growing in your garden at the moment?
So many lovely Narcissus you have. Mine are ready to flower shortly. The little tete a tete have been flowering a while now. Primulas and muscari are the flowers giving colour to the garden right now.
I must buy some more Muscari Gitte, to put with all my primroses, I have a few but think it would look better if there was more blue, yours must look very nice together. Tete a tete are such reliable little narcissus, starting all the spring flowering bulbs.
I love the little them all. Narcissus Geranium is gorgeous. I have Narcissus Albatross which was born about the same time as King Alfred.
Do you have the sky-blue Muscari Valerie Finnis? That would like nice amongst your primroses.
Yes Chloris, I have some Muscari Valerie Finnis, and was thinking of moving them as they are on the alpine scree and being pale blue, don’t show up very well against the gravel. So thank you, yes, they will go nicely with the primroses.
I must look up Narcissus Albatross, haven’t heard of that one!
To answer your question first, I have Mr. Fokker growing in my garden and Artemesia Valerie Finnis! I don’t think anything else is named after people! Love ALL your daffodils; I don’t always like white varieties of narcissus but Thalia is truely beautiful.
That’s three for Valerie Finnis so far Christina! I will have to find out who Mr. Fokker is. I do like N.Thalia very much, I have planted rather a lot and they usually flower when there is lots of white blossom making the garden look very white and very pretty!
I love the shorter daffs too. If it is the pheasant in the frame, I’m not sure… Ours are one of the few things left alone. How are your fritillaries? Says she from the safe position of having none left to be nibbled!
Jessica, I have just written my next post about the fritillaries, so far, fingers crossed, everything is fine! So sorry to hear you haven’t any left, that must be so frustrating.
You have a very attractive collection. I particularly like your Narcissus Jonquilla. Here, as you know, we are trying to escape the worst winter we have had in ages. I always complain that we go directly from winter to summer. I expect it will be even more true than usual this year!
Alain, we have heard about all your weather problems on our news reports, you certainly have had a dreadful time. Plants are amazing how they adapt to changes in the weather, I hope yours cope ok. We have had the wettest winter on record when half of the garden was under water for months, but the garden is now drying out and looks just as it should do at this time of year, I hope yours will too once you have normal temperatures once more.
How glorious! I love them all and am glad to say that some of them grow in my garden too. St. Patrick is a handsome chap, Geranium isn’t flowering yet neither is Silver Chimes but never mind – lots to look forward to. Enjoy your daffs 🙂
Don’t worry Annette, I am enjoying my daffs! St Patrick is a lovely flower and I seem to have rather a lot of him which is rather nice. The woodland now has a rather yellow look to it after the white of all the snowdrops!
Pauline they look great, and I’m excited your fritillaria post is ready! My favorites would have to be Jack Snipe and Peeping Tom, but I now have to be on the lookout for Jenny too…. actually I love them all, and I love the local story you have for King Alfred. How disappointing that there isn’t a single daff left on the property, but you should be proud to have some of your own “going home” 🙂
Frank, I’ve been reading about the narcissus King Alfred and apparently the original bulbs all died out because of a virus, what is sold as King Alfred today isn’t quite the same, a pity but there we are. There are so many beautiful narcissus to choose from today, we are spoilt for choice. Fritillary post will probably be published tomorrow!
Pauline, I love your display of bulbs and am intrigued you know where King Alfred originated. I have some and when they first started blooming this year, I discovered as you mention above, it is unlikely any being sold now as King Alfred are truly so. I’ve had mine for many years but have no way to know whether these are the real thing. Your Silver Chimes is a beautiful flower. Susie
Poor King Alfred, we all think we have the original, but it seems not, such a shame because they make such a splash of colour. I have to admit, I prefer the smaller narcissus, Silver Chimes is more my sort of flower.
I really like King Alfred – lovely big trumpet flowers and deep yellow. I saw my first Narcissus “Rip van Winkle” today and it’s such a fun one! 😀
They are such super large flowers Cathy, I just wish they didn’t fall over in the wind! Rip van Winkle looks as though it has a bad hair day, there are so many different varieties, something for everyone.