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

[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.