I don't know about you, but I get a little tired of old man winter about this time of year, and eagerly await those first daffodil blooms. As I write these few words, snow still covers my garden, but if the weatherman gets it right, it will warm up by the weekend.
Do you keep records of bloom times of flowers in your garden? I do for my daffodils and the other early spring bulbs. Gardening in Zone 5-6, I can always count on a few blooms in the coldframe in February, but usually have to wait until mid-March for things to bloom in the open. I have buds in the coldframe on 'Spoirot,' a white bulbocodium hybrid. This one would live in the open, and bloom later, but the foliage comes up early which then gets damaged by later cold weather, so I keep it in a pot.
Miniatures are usually the first to bloom in the open ground. Little trumpets like the all yellow 'Little Gem' and 'Small Talk.' There are a couple little white trumpets that also bloom early-'Camborne' and 'Aviva' come to mind.
The species N. cyclamineus blooms early, as do many of its hybrids. 'Tete-a-Tete' is one of the earliest. In fact, if you can't wait for blooms outdoors, look for it in the grocery store very soon now. It's widely sold as a pot plant for about $4. Keep the foliage growing after the blooms are done, and then plant the bulbs outside when the weather warms. Or you can keep the bulbs in the pot and let them dry off naturally, then plant the bulbs in the fall.
The bicolor trumpet 'Prologue' is often the first of the standard-sized daffodils to bloom. Lemon-colored trumpets 'Honeybird' and 'Honeymoon' join the early parade.
Several cyclamineus hybrids compete for "first bloom" honors as well. All yellow, beautifully formed 'Rapture,' which is an American Daffodil Society Wister and Pannill Award winner (outstanding for both garden and show), is joined shortly by 'Cornet' and 'El Camino.' 'Emperor's Waltz,' a charmer in yellow and orange, follows close behind. The bicolor 'Jack Snipe' and all yellow 'Little Witch' (pictured) increase with abandon and brighten the early spring days.
For pink color early in the season, I've found 'Sonia Sloan,' which was bred in Australia, a delight. It has a lovely pale apple-blossom pink cup. It's an older cultivar not readily available, but don't pass it up if you have a chance to get it. Easier to acquire and with a deeper pink trumpet is 'Pink Silk.'
Go To Page: 1 2
| Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: | View all related messages |
For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Mary Lou Gripshover's Daffodils topic, please visit the Discussions page.