As the white of the snowdrops start fading away, having kept my interest for 3 months now, the yellow of the narcissus takes over the baton. Yes, we had early flowering Narcissus in flower just after Christmas, N. Rijnveld’s Early Sensation, but it is just now that the waves of yellow are starting to make the garden shine, as if someone has run round the garden with a paintbrush loaded with the colour yellow and given a broad brush stroke over each border.
Narcissus Tete a Tete
Narcissus Tete a Tete are examples of the smaller Narcissus that I like, they stand up to the wind much better than the taller ones which fall over at the least puff of wind. These were all still standing after Storm Doris passed through a while ago.
Seeding merrily around the woodland is Narcissus pseudonarcissus which all the books and magazines tell us is the narcissus of Wordsworth fame.
This is the only Narcissus that I don’t deadhead as it seeds true, the others, being hybrids wouldn’t.
I like the two tone effect of N.pseudonarcissus, the paler outer petals soften the yellow of the trumpet.
An explosion of yellow from Tete a Tete.
The first to flower of N. Geranium.
Yellow with an orange trumpet flowering in the ditch.
N. pseudonarcissus sliding down the ditch.
I thought I had dug out all the very tall King Alfred type that were here before we were – obviously not!
N. King Alfred was originally bred in the next village. They all died out due to a virus so anything sold as King Alfred aren’t from the original bulbs. I suppose I ought to keep a few as it was a local variety.
In the front garden but I can’t remember it’s name!
A little variety contrasting with Cyclamen coum behind.
A small variety with lovely long trumpets and swept back petals.
I’ll finish with another view of lovely N. Tete a Tete which brightens up any dull corner.
Each year I wonder if Narcissus St. Patrick’s Day will flower on time, it has only managed it a couple of times before, I will be waiting on March 17th to see if any of the flowers are open.
Is your garden looking yellow at the moment or are you still in the grip of winter?
Stunning! Tete a Tete has come and gone for us, but as your photos show, it is a real charmer. You have a wonderful variety. I especially like the yellow with the long trumpets. Is it one of the Cyclamineus cultivars?
I think the Narcissus with the long trumpet Marian, might be Peeping Tom, which is a Cyclamineus cultivar. You must be a lot warmer than us if your Tete a Tete have finished. It is a super little daffodil and certainly brightens up the garden on a dull day, and we have plenty of those!
There are no Narcissus here yet. In fact, this morning we are getting a little bit of snow drifting down, just a dusting, but it’s disheartening. My snowdrops finally showed up, but they are all so tiny, they didn’t get very tall at all, the flowers popped up just barely touching the soil.
I’m so sorry to hear Alison that you are still in the icy grip of winter. When we lived in the NW corner of the country here winter lasted so much longer than it does now that we live in the SW corner. You will be able to enjoy your bulbs when mine are all over and done with.
Daffodils bring such joy. Yours are spectacular Pauline. Spring has been early here and my daffodils are mostly finished although I spotted a few Thalia which should bloom soon. Hope you and your husband are doing well. /Susie
Lovely Thalia will take over from all the yellow here Susie, I seem to have planted lots but could still do with more as I love the gardens where there are drifts. Thank you so much for enquiring about my husband, unfortunately he had to stop his chemo at Christmas as his body couldn’t take any more and is now on some new medication. At the moment there are quite a lot of new side effects which they are trying to sort out, we will just have to be patient I think.
Wonderful Pauline, I love seeing sunshine filled daffodils ‘nodding their heads in sprightly dance’. I’m sorry to hear the under gardener isn’t doing so well; please give him by best wishes.
Daffodils say “Springtime” to me Christina, I can’t get enough of them! The lanes round here are full of them, they make driving such a pleasure. Thank you for your good wishes for the under gardener, I’m sure they will sort him out eventually.
Your spring garden is an absolute delight, Pauline! 🙂
Thank you Cathy, I’m really enjoying working in it at the moment, along with the bees!
What a lovely selection. I do like all the ones with white petals, my favourite is N Geranium, how beautiful!xxx
Thank you Dina, I planted a lot of “Geranium” one year, I hope they all flower!
That’s a lovely collection of Narcissi. N. Geranium is gorgeous, must add that too my list. I do have N. Rinjnveld’s Early Sensation but they are only just starting to flower. How do you get yours to flower so early?!
I’ve checked back Julieanne, and see that I wrote a post about Rijnveld’s Early Sensation on Jan. 11th. It wasn’t out quite by Christmas as it is supposed to be. I don’t do anything to make it flower at it’s given time, but down here in Devon we have had quite a mild winter so far.
Ahhh, of course, you are much further South than I, that might help explain it. My garden is quite windy, so with the cold winds here up North throughout winter, it makes sense it’s been delayed by a few weeks. Sorry I missed your earlier post on this, will go and look it up now 🙂
We moved here 27 yrs ago from the North West and gardening up there was very different from down here!
Do you feel timings are quite different this year, Pauline? I have crocus, narcissi and snowdrops all flowering at the same time
Nearly all my snowdrops have finished Cathy, just a couple of late ones flowering now, the same with crocus, they are certainly past their best. Leucojum vernum, on the other hand is much later than usual and has only just started flowering. Looking at Narcissus St. Patricks Day, I think it might flower on time for once!
Oh what lovely shades of mellow yellow Pauline. It’s intriguing reading the comment from Julieanne who is south of me and north of you. All my ‘Rijnveld’s Early Sensation’ are now done and dusted. Maybe the difference between east and west also comes into play.
Thanks Anna, it’s amazing how different the woodland looks now that all the snowdrops have finished. Rijnveld’s Early Sensation is well and truly finished here and has been deadheaded already, as you say, maybe us being in the warmer west has something to do with the earlier flowering time, but I think from it’s name, that it is supposed to flower early.
So beautiful! Makes me impatient for mine to get going, but everything here is frozen solid once again. Many of the Daffodils have poked their leaves out of the soil, though. We also grow some of the ‘Tete a Tete’, but not the N. pseudonarcissus which I must say is very attractive.
You are certainly having a long winter Jason, I really do hope it warms up for you soon and then your bulbs can get going properly. N.pseudonarcissus seeds around beautifully and extra plants are appearing where I wouldn’t have thought of putting them.