Gifts for Gardeners

By now, most people probably have their daffodils planted, though I have a friend who always plants some bulbs on Christmas Day. Even with the unusual fall weather we’ve been having, the ground has probably cooled enough to get planting done. Once that’s done, we can begin to think of holiday plans, which of course includes buying gifts for our favorite people.

If a gardener is on your gift list, why not consider giving a membership in a plant society? Daffodil lovers would surely appreciate a membership in The American Daffodil Society. Membership includes the quarterly publication, The Daffodil Journal. I know someone who bought some silk daffodils and wrapped them up like a box of long-stemmed roses and put a card inside announcing the gift membership. You can be creative in your presentation as well! If your favorite daffodil gardener is already a member, you might check with the ADS to see what other publications might be available. The Royal Horticultural Society’s Daffodil Yearbook is available each year from the ADS. This annual publication has daffodil news from around the world; this year’s issue also includes a symposium about tazetta daffodils with a perspective from all the daffodil-growing countries.

If you’re interested in species daffodils, then John Blanchard’s wonderful book, Narcissus, A guide to wild daffodils, is the book for you. Beautifully illustrated with John’s own photos taken on his trips to Spain to see daffodils in their native habitat, this is a “must have” book, full of descriptions and the type of soil in which the plants are growing. Check the ADS website at http://www.daffodilusa.org for information on how to order these books, or email me for more information.

Brent and Becky Heath’s Daffodils for American Gardens is a lavishly illustrated book with helpful information about growing daffodils anywhere in the United States. It’s being revised, and the revision is currently available on their website, http://brentandbeckysbulbs.com/

You could really surprise your daffodil grower with an out-of-print publication. Barnes and Noble has a site for out-of-print books, and a search there on “daffodil” brings up lots of special books. Recently I found Bowles’s The Narcissus there, as well as a lot of back issues of RHS Yearbooks. Carey Quinn’s book, Daffodils Outdoors and In is available. These old books make for really interesting reading; they give a sense of the history and development of modern daffodils. You can also find books on Amazon.com.

If books aren’t your “thing,” then how about porcelain or other objects decorated with daffodils? China departments often have “flower of the month” cups and saucers, and you can often find both the yellow and white daffodils illustrated. There are several lines of china now that have various flowers illustrating different pieces. Swarovski Crystal has a lovely pin with two crystal daffodils. And of course, you can always shop on eBay. A search on “daffodil” will bring up lots of unusual items.

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