There’s nothing like a sea of golden daffodils sprouting from the ground to tell you that winter is coming to an end and spring has sprung!
At the end of Winder and early Spring, daffodils cover the Garden, and it’s a perfect time to discover these little rays of sunshine from the comfort of your home. There’s more than 150,000 bulbs currently in the ground, and this year we have added 10,000 new bulbs to the collection. These include 300 new African bulbs, endangered species and over 120 new cultivars of daffodil.
Did you know? The Latin name for Daffodils is Narcissus. Narcissus was a boy in Greek mythology, who became so obsessed by his own reflection in a pool of water that he eventually perished and turned into a daffodil. Narcissus poeticus was one of the first daffodils to be cultivated, and is often found by the side of water.
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Here are some starter pointers if you want to create some blooming beauties:
- Bulbs like fertile well-drained soils, the addition of a good all-round fertiliser just before they appear above the soil works well.
- As a rule of thumb, a bulb should be planted at a depth of three-times the size of the bulb.
- Narcissus bulbs are naturally adapted to drier climates, so water them well once they have been planted, then only as required. If the weather has been dry, give them a couple of good soaks as they come up and again, before the flowers open.
- Blubs such as tulips, hyacinths and Muscari benefit from being lifted up, divided and replanted every three years.
