British Isles Daffodils
Kate Reade at Carncairn Daffodils, Ballymena, NI., still thrills us with her pink introductions and her endless supply of yellow trumpets. In my opinion her 'Foundling' 6W-P has set the standard for division 6 cyclamineus daffodils for generations to come. I am very grateful to her generosity, and to her contributions to the world of daffodils.
A few years ago, Clive Postles, at Postles Daffodils went out of the business of shipping daffodils to America. Along with his own introductions, Clive was the bastion of the J. S. Lea daffodils, after John Lea's untimely demise. The Postles/Lea daffodils were deep in color and substance, competing for the top prizes in the British Daffodil Shows each year. Many, other then just myself, will miss the Postles cultivars that are no longer available to us directly. Hopefully, other growers will step in and make them available. It is my understanding that Steve Holden Daffodils, in West Sussex may be carrying the Clive Postles daffodils.
And let us not forget the Campbells and Tyrone Daffodils, of NI. Tyrone Daffodils has become an important source of the "oldies-but-goodies." The Tyrone catalog is one of the few places that the old "show-standard" daffodils of days gone by can be procured, and inexpensively so. Tyrone grows many of the daffodils that are no longer on the cutting edge, however, they have show records longer than your arm, and are affordable daffodils that are still winning in shows today.
I know there are other daffodil growers in the British Isles, and I know they raise great daffodils as the ones mentioned above don't win all the top prizes. However, my experience is limited to the ones that I have mentioned below. I apologize for that and am making an effort to expand my knowledge of British Isles daffodils that are commercially available.
If you are interesed in British Isles daffodils, like I am, join me in going to the American Daffodil Society's home page at U.S. and International Bulb Speciality Resources for the addresses of the best resources. Send them a letter and ask that you be put on their mailing list. Remember, if you are in the U.S., to put on your return address the words United States, or U.S.A., they both work.
My recommendation is that you get to know all the daffodil breeders and providers that are available in the British Isles as, it seems, every day more resouces
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