Slowly but surely, the colour in the woodland is changing from the white of the snowdrops to the yellow of the narcissus as they gradually open. It is as if a wave of yellow is slowly expanding across the garden, like an artist picking up yellow pigment with their brush and spreading a colour wash over their paper.
Lots of small narcissus have been planted, mainly because they look more natural in the woodland area and the other shady borders, but also because they stand up to the wind better than the taller ones and the dying leaves are not so noticeable.
Quite a few species narcissus have been planted here, mainly narcissus pseudonarcissus, these are allowed to self seed and don’t get dead headed like the hybrids.
The patches of yellow make it look as though the sun is shining, even when it isn’t.
A close up of Narcissus pseudonarcissus, lovely with its outer petals a paler shade.
Another favourite that flowers really early is Narcissus Tete a Tete, a really bright yellow that shows up across the garden
Tall ones on the bank that forms a boundary between our woodland strip and the road through the village. I think these must have been planted by the previous people and think that maybe they are the variety King Alfred. The King Alfred daffodil was bred in the next village to where we are, so for that reason alone it is allowed to stay, but the first strong wind will flatten it! Here in Devon, when boundaries were being decided hundreds of years ago, they were marked by building earth banks round the perimeter and then hedges planted along the tops. The trees in the woodland strip have been here for well over 200 yrs, old ladies living in the village tell me that they used to ride their ponies through here when they were little ! There are still quite a few areas that don’t have any narcissus in them , must make notes so that lots more bulbs can be planted next autumn and the wave of yellow can spread even further!
Hi,
It’s nice to watch as the shades gradually change from one plant to the next and as the season progresses.
I planted a lot of tete-a-tete too and have quite a few in bloom at the moment, although not to this level… I ought to work more with daffs and narcissi but in general I don’t like yellow – but they are very cheerful, it’s just getting my head around this mental block whenever I’m ordering/buying the bulbs! 😀
Because the Tete a Tete flower at the same time as the snowdrops are coming to an end, then the yellow seems to be diluted a bit, I know what you mean Liz when you say you don’t like yellow! Soon though, it’s the white narcissus that take over from the yellow, Thalia is a favourite here then, like the snowdrops, they come in waves.Jack Snipe is another one that I like a lot, yellow and white, my problem is remembering where any spaces are when planting time comes in the autumn!!
I love your woodland and its sunny daffodils. “Narcissus pseudonarcissus” is a strange name, it always seems to me. It’s like saying it’s a Narcissus that’s pretending to be a Narcissus.
I so agree with you Lyn, doesn’t make sense does it, who comes up with these strange names?!
Every spring I tell myself I must plant more bulbs. On my heavy clay narcissus come better than tulips and I even prefer them because they could be scented and they last longer. Last fall I’ve planted several, which are now sprouting, a little late maybe but it’s their first year. I want big clumps like yours, they are beautiful and they seem to yell ‘hello!’ to spring coming!
Here in Northern Italy they used little pyramid-like piles of stones to mark boundaries, the problem is that while the owner was away the pile magically moves. Little moves, day by day, so that the land owner didn’t notice… 🙂 I guess your bank is more reliable…
I agree Alberto, that narcissus are more sucessful than tulips on heavy clay like ours. I find lots of the later narcissus have the most gorgeous scent, but the early ones are so cheerful with their bright yellow flowers! Spring is definitely with us now.
Had to laugh at the thought of your landowners stones moving while he wasn’t looking, no one would want to move the clay banks, everyone here has so much clay of their own!!
I, too, like how the spring daffodils dress up the bare planting beds. Their color is so nice and sunny and offer such a nice transition to spring. I like your daffodil clumps scattered here and there…so beautiful!
Thank you SB, at the moment ,the sun seems always to be shining in the little woodland, they look so cheerful! But no matter how many I plant, there is alweays room for more!!
That woodland area is just beautiful. I love your description of the flowers being like an artist spreading colour on a canvas. Love the Tete a Tete, my fave!
Thanks Bridget, Tete a Tete is so cheerful, I don’t think anyone could not like it, even if they aren’t keen on the colour yellow!
Sorry to be late in replying but I found you in my spam pile, how did you get in there!!?