Most daffodils are still snugly in the ground, with just a few tips showing above ground. They will be fine. Those that have taller foliage will probably be fine also; there may be some damage to the tips of the foliage, but the bulbs will survive.
With this taste of spring, I have flowers in bloom in my garden. Hellebores are in bloom, along with the first snowdrops which opened today. Some "Jack Frost" violas planted last fall have been blooming ever since. And today in my coldframe, I have four little daffodils in bloom. This is earlier by about 2-3 weeks than I’ve ever had spring-blooming daffodils in bloom. I’m not counting the winter-blooming ones that bloom each year in December. Do you keep garden records? They can be very useful. My records show that usually the first snowdrops open around February 12-19, though one year they opened on February 5.
So, rather than bemoan the fact that it’s WAY too early, that the winter weather that’s sure to follow will kill everything, let’s just enjoy the blooms when we have them.
N. cyclamineus opened today in the coldframe. It’s a species daffodil, and I grew it from seed from the RHS seed exchange. It’s taken about five years to reach blooming size. If you’re interested in species daffodils, the seed exchanges of the RHS and the various rock garden societies are good places to get seed. N. cyclamineus is a little charmer, with its petals reflexed completely back. It’s rarely seen in commerce. I plan to “self” it to get a homegrown supply of seed to grow on. It should be hardy in my climate, but I’ll keep it in the coldframe until I have more bulbs.
‘Cornish Cream’ is a little bulbocodium hybrid bred by the late James Wells. Its pale lemon color contrasts nicely with the deeper yellow of other daffodils open now. I look forward to it multiplying so that there’s a whole pot full in bloom! Because it sends up foliage so early, I will continue to grow it in my coldframe.
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