thalia and friends

N. 'Pheasant's Eye'

Although my love of daffodils does not quite match my passion for tulips, I have been growing them for years. They are undemanding and easy-going, they can be planted in pleasant September weather (unlike tulips which demand to be planted in arctic November conditions), they do brilliantly in pots and in the ground and, the thing that clinches it for me, they come up year after year after year.

The beautifully scented Pheasant's Eye daffs above are from bulbs which we planted eight or nine years ago, and they look as fresh and youthful as the Ice Follies below which were planted ridiculously late (in January this year) and yet still came up on cue. Ice Follies were the first narcissi I ever planted more than twenty years ago, and I still have a soft spot for their simple flowers with wonderful softly buttery yellow centres which fade to the palest lemon as they age.   

N. 'Ice Follies'

This year, as in many other years, I am also enamoured of Thalia's name and her nature. Coolly white and utterly refined, she has the perfect name - that of a goddess and one of the Three Graces. I don't think any daffodil can be considered unfriendly, but Thalia does look best on her own in almost splendid isolation. 

N. 'Thalia'

Unlike 'Tahiti' (below) which almost shouts hello at me as I walk past and is clearly happy to attract attention with ruffled double flowers and a combination of deep orange and bright yellow. They remind me of layers of petticoats worn deliberately for show rather than any more practical reason.

N. 'Tahiti'

The house smells lovely - it's surprising how many daffodils are scented - and I have a line of vases with the different varieties on the lounge windowsill looking for all the world like a chatty, happy group of friends. And Thalia is in the kitchen, where I can admire her purity and prettiness, and she can be my special friend. 

(All the photos except the last were taken in the space of an hour today. That's how much the light changes minute by minute at the moment.)

Comments

[raina]

beautiful photos

[Laura]

Daffodils are my absolute favorites, and it's still weeks too early for them here. _Thank_you_ for bringing me a bit of Spring!!

[carrie]

Such beautiful daffodils! They were always a favorite of my grandmother and are just finishing at her house.

[Gemma]

Gracious that tahiti is a gaudy young lady!

[Rebecca]

Such wonderful, cheerful flowers, my banks and woodland are covered in them at the moment and it always amazes me how well they seem to withstand this ever changing weather. One could almost feel that their eternal cheer is the sort that could actually get on your nerves in a person, if you know what I mean?

[Kristina and Sam]

I love your flowers, they haven't arrived here yet. Even my street is named Jonquil! I think your flowers are interesting :D love Sam.

[sherry]

Thalia has been a special favorite of mine for oh, maybe 20 years. Really. Happy to see yours, mine won't be out for at least a month.

[kimberly]

What lovely flowers. I just love bulbs and someday I'll try to grow some. Your pictures inspire me to make 'someday' a little closer to today

[Sarah]

Such beautiful flowers! I'm longing for spring to finally roll around the corner and make my daffodils grow as well. For now though, looking at yours helps a bit!

[lucette]

Jane, your gift with words and photos always brings a smile to my face. Beautiful.

[kt]

Oh Jane, you do have such an eye. I'm enjoying your daffs all the more now that we're in the Pacific NW and are enjoying them in person, too!

Happy Spring.

[EnnaVic]

Beautiful flowers - I love daffodils too. I am organising our annual bulb fundraiser for pre-school at the moment and I have several of those varieties from last year's sales. Tahiti is one I don't have though and will keep an eye open for - very sweet.

:)

[mesclun]

Mmmm... I can almost smell the scent from here. Such beautiful images - I've always loved the Pheasant's Eye, but I've never seen Tahiti before - what a treat!
A few years ago I was out walking with a sculptor friend when we came upon a large planting of daffodils. I began to talk about the wonderful color, but he said it wasn't the color that made them exceptional flowers, but their three-dimensionality. The way the inner petals curve forward while the outer petals fan out behind them and the flower heads stand out at right angles to their stems. As a painter I'd always looked at them in flat 2-D terms as blocks of color and it was exciting for me to suddenly see them from all sides through his eyes.

[Lorie]

Those are really wonderful. I love that a lot of them have retained their scent, too.

[eireann]

the daffodils and the light are two of my favorite things here. a third is about 6' and redheaded, but thats for a response to your mail (forthcoming, but slowly).

[sandi @ the whistlestopcafe]

I'll be posting our centerpieces at the end of the month. If you want me to include these beauties let me know!

[sheila B]

Thank you for the lovely bouquets.

[Becca]

A fully white daff is the loveliest of spring visions. I did not know her name ... Thalia ... nor do I know anything about the "three graces." I would like to know more.

[catherine]

So beautiful. Your garden must be a picture Jane. It's bulb planting time here - in my enthusiasm I went to the nursery a few weeks too early to buy some to plant in pots, but you've reminded me I must go back soon!

[Sue]

More fabulous photos. Sorry Jane, haven't forgotten the fabrics but have been poorly again! Will endeavour to be in touch over the next few days.
Sue

[Sweet Cottage Dreams]

Beautiful and amazing that there are so many varieties.

Becky

[Nicole]

We're still buried under several feet of snow here in Ottawa, so thank you for this delightful, hopeful spring posy.

Sigh... I need a BIG dose of yellow right now!

[dana]

Thalia is absolutely my favorite daffodil; your description is right on as to her refinement and delicacy. She usually blooms about three weeks later than Ice Follies here in the Pacific Northwest. All of our daffodils are being held back this year by strange, post-Easter snow. Thank you for the pre-view.

[manda]

beautiful daffodils. THalia...wow!now i am inspired to plant some bulbs..its finally cooling down here in Australia.

[ellen]

The Pheasant's Eye takes me back to my grandfather's garden. I may forget what I had for breakfast today, but I can still remember nearly every plant in his garden, which I have not seen for at least thirty-eight years. I really enjoy your close ups of blossoms, it's lovely to see their exquisite details.

[Nicky]

All your flower pictures are so wonderful...And every springflower is a joy to the eye and the heart because they promise us spring and sun and a summer to come.

[gillie]

There is something so gloriously blowsy and cheerful about daffs, the bouncy and bubbly barmaid of the garden. I love them too. We have far more up here in Scotland than we do in Durham and I have already made a mental note to plant a few gazillion more down in Durham this year ... you have definitely made sure I will :)

[gillie]

There is something so gloriously blowsy and cheerful about daffs, the bouncy and bubbly barmaid of the garden. I love them too. We have far more up here in Scotland than we do in Durham and I have already made a mental note to plant a few gazillion more down in Durham this year ... you have definitely made sure I will :)

[SnapdragonJane]

My peasants eye daffs are the last to flower here - usually the 2nd week of May, much later than all the rest.
How peculiar.
Lovely photos - I don't grow many narcissi in the business after the paperwhites are finished as people won't pay for them as cut flowers, no matter how gorgeous and scenty they are . . .
J
x

[judy]

You take such beautiful photos. What do you use for the white and red backdrops that so beautifully frame your bouquets? is it just a piece of cardboard behind them? I very impressed by the visual simplicity and beauty of the photos.

[ali]

Your flower photos are inspiring. I've never grown much more than string beans and cherry tomatoes, though I did finally get up the gumption to divide the bunch of tiger lillies (that were here when we moved here) last fall- divided and spread out. I expanded my landscaping for free... gotta love that. Next year I might even try tulips, they are my favorite flower to buy, it would be lovely to have some growing here year after year... we'll see, I'm not very good at high maintenance gardening...

I may have to settle with looking at yours.