Whoever came up with the catchphrase “man’s best friend” must have been a gardener. A dog is a sure fire way of protecting tulips.
Deer simply crave the taste of the foliage. Squirrels will devour any unprotected bulbs and will nip off flower buds.
Last winter, a trusted companion of many years succumbed to old age. During his lifetime, not a furry “muncher” would dare visit the garden for fear of being chased.
When spring came, so did the deer and squirrels.
The entire collection of tulips was completely wiped out.
Solution: Grow daffodils (Narcissus). These perennial bulbs are just as spectacular as tulips, but are of no interest to wildlife. Somehow animals know the bulbs and foliage are poisonous.
The Narcissus genus contains the alkaloid lycorine.
The common names daffodil, jonquil, Lent Lilies, Easter flowers and daffy down dillies (The Secret Garden) refer to the genus Narcissus.
Of all fall bulbs, tulips are the most popular. Simply browsing through any garden centre will reveal an overwhelming selection to choose from.
Obviously, if a retail collection of tulips is so extensive they would be the most requested and commonly grown. For an unknown reason, many gardeners will only choose tulips.
On the other hand, daffodils are not as common, but are just as stunning. They prefer well drained soil but will cope with wetter conditions. Huge stands of the perennial are often found on hillsides or growing in grass. Most species are not deterred by frost and will continue blooming.
Daffodils have six outer petals and a circular corona surrounding the filaments with pollen. The three outer segments are sepals, and the three inner segments are petals. The stems are soft and leaves are thin. Seeds of daffodil are black, round and swollen with a hard coat.
Originally, daffodils were only yellow. But modern hybridizers developed an extensive array of colour combinations.
Glorious bicoloured presentations of yellow and white, ivory on white, white and orange, yellow and orange and a spectacular lime-green make a “fresh” addition to any spring garden.
Recently, an explosion of what appears to be a range of pinks, disguise the identity of the original stark yellow variety.
Pink daffodils range from light salmon, apricot, true pink, deep coral to a softer pink rose. Hybridizers caution that pink coloured tulips and daffodils need to be planted in cooler areas. Full sun will wash out the bright pink colour.
Like changes in colour, the original structure of the trumpet-like middle of the flower has been altered in various ways. Extensive hybridizing work with the corona’s appearance make numerous introductions a “must have”, especially the double varieties that resemble peonies.
Daffodils flowers range in size 12.5cm (5”) to 1.2cm (1/2”).
Planting daffodils is an easy project for a new gardener who wants to grow beautiful flowers without having to be an expert.
All you need for growing daffodils is fertile soil and healthy bulbs. You can even grow them in containers if you don’t have any garden space.
All spring flowering bulbs need to be planted in the fall when nightly temperatures are quite cool up until the ground freezes. Bulbs must have this chilling time or they will not bloom in the spring
Gardening catalogues list hundreds of bulb varieties. Not only is the overall appearance of individual flowers important, scheduled flowering time will have certain varieties bloom months ahead of others. By choosing early, mid or late varieties, gardeners can have a succession of blooms from March to May.
A noteworthy example of a “must have” is the Narcissus Tête-à-Tête. This hybridized miniature yellow daffodil has been developed to bloom in early spring. It will only reach the height of 15 – 20cm (6 – 8”) with blooms of 6 – 8cm (2½ – 3”) wide. Its overall size would make it suitable for rock gardens or as a border.
Bulbs can be planted in pots and forced indoors during the spring season. Simply leaving the planted bulbs in a cold location will prevent them from sprouting earlier.
This column is submitted by Ron Stevenson of the Fergus Horticultural Society.
