5 unusual daffodil types and how to grow them
As the RHS launches Daffodil Diaries, a campaign asking people to help it map the UK's daffodils and locate three rare or historically significant varieties, it's worth considering growing some unusual varieties of your own.
The charity is asking people to log where daffodils are blooming in their area alongside basic information such as colour, type and height, to identify what is growing where and over time track flowering as our climate changes.
For those looking to grow something a bit different, Kálmán Könyves, principal scientist in the cultivated plant diversity team at the RHS, suggests five daffodils worthy of any garden:
Narcissus 'Rip van Winkle'
This was introduced commercially in 1884 but is probably even older. They are relatively short at 17cm but their starry double flowers with many pointed bright yellow petals mix well with other small spring bulbs such as anemones and grape hyacinths.
Narcissus 'Fairy Chimes'
This fragrant variety has four to six scented flowers with reflexed petals per stalk and is best enjoyed in pots although robust enough for beds and borders. Although 'Fairy Chimes' is not as popular as it was, both N. jonquilla and N. triandrus cultivars remain highly popular and many good garden plants are available.
Narcissus poeticus
The pheasant's eye or poet's daffodil is among the last to flower, opening in early May. Strikingly tall at 50-60cm, it is elegant, scented and adds delicate charm to grassy areas and to the rear of borders. It is grown commercially in France and Holland for the perfume industry. It's a bit tall for pots, so if you're looking for a container daffodil, go for the similar but slightly shorter Narcissus 'Actaea', which at 40cm is preferable.
Narcissus papyraceus
Also known as paperwhites, these need no cold period before they flower. Most narcissi measure winter chill (2-12C) and are only able to flower once a threshold has been passed, typically six to 12 weeks of winter weather. Because Narcissus papyraceus can flower with no chilling, they are often sold to be planted in the autumn to flower at Christmas, typically taking about a month to flower. Their powerful scent is not to everyone's taste.
Narcissus 'King Alfred'
This was one of the original yellow trumpet daffodils as we now know it. Introduced in 1899 by John Kendall and recognised by the Royal Horticultural Society by a 'First-class Certificate', it was widely grown until the 1950s when it was superseded by other varieties. The original 'King Alfred' now is hardly found, but the big yellow trumpet daffodils that dominate the cut flower trade are its natural followers. Good widely sold alternatives include 'Brabazon', 'Mando' and 'Standard Value'. Plant in lawns for high impact or in cut flower beds for display inside.
How to grow
Daffodils, or narcissus to give them their Latin name, are simple to grow, with bulbs planted in late summer and autumn or bought in bud from garden centres in spring.
Any reasonable garden soil in full sun or light shade will suit them. If the soil is compacted, loosen it with a fork. For pots, plant at one third of the pot depth deep using a peat-free potting compost in pots with drainage holes. Don't let pots dry out or your flowers will fail.
Garden daffodils usually need no feeding or watering when grown in the soil. Container grown ones appreciate fortnightly liquid feed until the foliage dies down.
Plants need their leaves after flowering to make flower buds for the following year so let them die down naturally or allow at least six weeks after flowering before they are severed or mown.
Rake over bare soil areas where daffodils are grown to fill in holes left by falling foliage, to prevent bulb flies accessing the bulbs to lay eggs. Alternatively apply a thick layer of organic matter.
Some daffodil plantings die out over a few years and replacement bulbs are bought. Others multiply and, if congested, dig up in summer, once the foliage turns like straw, and replant with more space between the bulbs.
The RHS notes that although daffodils have rarely caused any harm, they are potentially harmful if eaten and are a skin irritant. Wear gloves when handling the bulbs and cut flowers.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
13 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'Simple and cheap' food hack helps peace lilies live 'for decades'
David Denyer, who is based at Eflorist and has won Chelsea Gold Medals and Best in Show titles, explained that peace lilies require a certain nutrient to aid growth A flower expert has shared some insider knowledge on making peace lilies look their best. Horticultural expert David Denyer, who's graced television screens on Gardeners' World, divulged a handy tip about these popular houseplants. "Many people may be unaware, but peace lilies require potassium to aid with their growth," said David, who is a florist at Eflorist with an impressive track record of Gold Medals and Best in Show accolades at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show. He added: "So using a banana peel is a unique way to help with this." However, he was quick to clarify that there's a "genuine method" to employing a banana peel for boosting peace lily growth, which doesn't involve simply burying it in the soil. David said: "To make some potassium-rich fertiliser, put some banana peel in a jar of water, and leave it to sit for at least a day or two - the longer the better! "Don't hold back on the amount of banana peel you use, as the more you add, the more potassium-rich the water will become." After the steeping period, Denyer advised to "drain the water into a fresh jug and dispose of the banana peel". He then instructed: "Then, dilute the banana peel water with some fresh water and use this liquid to water your peace lily." David assured garden lovers that utilising banana water biweekly "it will help to keep the nutrients in the soil rich and promote growth". He stressed the necessity of adhering to his specific instructions to avoid potential problems, reports the Express. "Just throwing some banana peel in the soil could attract pests and insects, who may end up eating the plant, and cause it to die faster," Denyer warned. He emphasised that when adopting this method, it's crucial to maintain regular care for the plant, including weekly watering. Further care involves positioning the houseplant where it receives indirect sunlight and removing any wilted leaves or spathes. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) explained: "Deadheading is the term used for the removal of fading or dead flowers from plants." Denyer recommended routine upkeep of the peace lily and suggested that incorporating the biweekly banana water trick will "keep it healthy". With a smile, David pointed out that bananas can be purchased for as little as 16p, branding the technique a "simple and cheap hack" to experiment with. He concluded: "Peace lilies typically live for three to five years, but with the right care, they can thrive for decades."
BBC News
3 days ago
- BBC News
Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival highlights decline of swifts
A display highlighting the dramatic decline of swifts - the "symbol of summer skies" - will feature at this year's Hampton Court Palace Garden Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) which puts on the annual festival, and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) have created a show garden focused on the birds, which usually arrive in the UK from early May, spend almost all their lives in flight – eating, drinking, mating and sleeping on the depend on healthy insect populations and suitable nesting sites for their breeding season in the UK, conservationists say. How to identify a swift:Dark, sooty brown but can look black against the skyPale patch on the throat, but this is often difficult to see in flightLong, pointed wings held in a boomerang shapeShort, forked tail which can be folded to a pointBullet-shaped headA call that sounds like a high-pitched scream. The species has seen numbers plummet by 68% between 1995 and 2023, data indicates, and they are "red-listed" over concerns about their insect-friendly planting would support the birds and other wildlife, and nesting sites, such as "swift bricks" can be introduced into buildings to give them somewhere to in the swift garden include field maples, common limes, teasel, catmint and devil's bit scabious, which all support and attract insects.
The Independent
3 days ago
- The Independent
Ever wondered how to shape your evergreens? Experts share their tips
Topiary offers a unique way for plants to shape our gardens. Shaping plants into balls, pyramids and even birds doesn't have to be as complicated as it might seem, so you don't just have to admire topiary in the gardens of stately homes and horticultural shows. A new photographic exhibition, On The Hedge, opening at RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey, charts our relationship with hedges and topiary, from their role in shaping our landscapes and homes, to their environmental benefits. 'From a design point of view, topiary is really important, even if it's just a simple basic structure. A cube, or a cone, or even just a ball of some sort gives really good structure through the winter when a lot of gardens go quiet,' says RHS horticultural advisor, Nick Turrell. 'If your shape – it could be a simple cone or a cube – is repeated through a garden, the eye will immediately pick up on that repetition. In summer, it might just sit in the background but it still provides an important structural framework. 'Then in the winter it looks amazing because the frost sits on it.' Can you have topiary in a smaller gardens? 'Yes – it could be knee high, a cube or a dome and you could grow them in a border, like an exclamation mark among all the froth of the flowers. I've done it even in tiny little postage stamp-sized gardens, when you have two or three in the border which adds a good bit of solidity,' says Turrell. If you've only got room for a pot, put your evergreen in as big a pot as you can, which won't dry out as quickly as smaller containers, but be aware that it will require more TLC than if you plant it in a border, he advises. 'It will require a bit more attention. Any plant, whether it's clipped or not, is totally dependent on you for food and water. It will need feeding through the summer, ideally every three weeks. 'After the first season the potting compost will have run out of nutrients so it's down to you to feed it.' If the compost needs changing, the chances are you'll need to repot your topiary into a bigger pot. If you don't have room for that, it will need regular feeding and will benefit from mulching with some well-rotted manure in the autumn, he suggests. What are the best plants for topiary? Box blight and box tree caterpillar are still a real problem, so find an alternative, he suggests. His top three choices are yew, small-leaved privet and Wilson's honeysuckle (Lonicera nitida). 'With yew, you can have it whatever size you like, it always comes back and it has tiny needles, which lends itself to close clipping.' The small-leaved privet doesn't grow too tall – reaching around 1.5m if you let it – and is quite happy to be clipped, he says. Wilson's honeysuckle is strong-growing, with tiny leaves. You can grow it in a pot and if you occasionally forget to water it, it can bounce back, he says. Look at the size of the leaves of whichever plant you choose, because the bigger the leaf the worse it is to topiarise, he adds. 'You can end up cutting through a broad leaf halfway through when you are clipping it and then the ends can start fraying and going a bit brown, which doesn't look good.' Only buy one plant for each shape Don't plant, for instance, three of the same species next to each other hoping that they will be dense enough to give you a shape more quickly, because they will eventually end up fighting for space and light, he advises. 'If you're looking for a cone or a ball which is say, a metre high, you can buy them ready-made but they are expensive. If you buy a yew just as a plant, which is 60cm tall, it won't cost as much and as long as you are patient and feed and water it you can start trimming it once it reaches the size you want it to be. 'They will grow fairly quickly. Within 18 months – two seasons – you should start to see the beginnings of the shape, if it's not too intricate, like a cockerel.' 'Keep it simple. A good pair of sharp shears or even some little handheld long-nosed snips are perfect. Don't worry about electric hedge trimmers – it's the difference between using an electric shaver and a razor blade. You get a much better finish with a sharp pair of shears or long-nosed snips. 'Using those tools also encourages you to look carefully at what you are doing, whereas electric hedging shears are a bit slapdash.' Put a frame over the plant – you can buy shaped frames at garden centres and topiary specialists. Anything that grows outside the frame can be clipped to get the shape you want. Position the frame over the top of the plant after you've planted it. They are like a plant support. Once the plant has grown and you have achieved your desired shape, you can remove the frame, or leave it in place as a marker, especially if it is an intricate shape, he suggests. Beginners might start with easy cones or cubes, but you can progress to cloud shapes, birds and animals. There's no hard and fast rule about when to trim but it would normally be in spring or autumn, depending on how fast it grows, he says. Step back every few snips when you are trimming, to check on the shape and the perspective. 'If you cut off too much in one section, you'll probably need to cut the whole lot down to that size,' he suggests. 'It's not the end of the world, it just delays the ultimate size that you want.' If you buy a plant which is already shaped, take a picture of it at the outset, so that if it starts growing fast, you can see what shape it looked like at the start. If you want your topiary to inhabit your flower borders, don't be afraid of planting your colour close to the topiary, which will create a contrast between a crisp, shaped evergreen and a froth of flowers, he says. If you want your topiary to be a stand-alone showstopper in, say, a lawn, don't plant anything nearby which will take away its prima donna status, he suggests.
