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USING SMALLER DAFFODILS IN THE GARDEN
Daffodils are available between May and
November from our Autumn Catalogue or you can
buy in season from our Online Ordering
Centre.
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Having spent the last 26 years
running Broadleigh Gardens, a name virtually synonymous with smaller daffodils,
I am still amazed, a few honourable exceptions apart, how neglected they are as
garden plants, particularly by alpine gardeners who seem to concentrate on the
species and neglect the smaller hybrids. |
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Narcissus
Tete a Tete |
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Alec Gray, a cornish cut flower grower, began his lifelong
interest in daffodil breeding in the 1930's when trips to S Europe introduced
him to the possibilities presented by the species narcissus. Although his initial
aim was to add naturally earlier flowering varieties to his commercial stock,
the grace and charm of the delicate hybrids he produced soon became his
principal objective. 'Tete a Tete' and 'Sundial' remain two of the most
successful small daffodils to date. His mantle then principally passed to the
USA and today there are a host of garden worthy miniatures to chose from. Our
nursery stock currently runs to over 250 varieties, varying in stature from tiny
6cm species to 34cm hybrids. |
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Narcissus
Sundial |
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Not all, of course, are
suitable for the open garden but many appreciate similar conditions to plants
grown by the alpine gardener and they make excellent companions provided they
are matched for proportion and scale. Short supply is more likely to be the
limiting factor rather than choice.
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The first principal is to
remember that many of the hybrids are only one or two generations removed from a
species parent. Successful cultivation is therefore more likely to be ensured by
a consideration of their respective climatic requirements. This is particularly
true of those originating in S. Europe or N. Africa which experience a mild winter
and a hot dry summer - especially the jonquils and tazettas. Not only are some
borderline hardy others will only flower well if given a warm, dry summer
dormancy. This was dramatically illustrated on the nursery this year. 25 years
ago we were given a pot of jonquils collected by Frank Waley and Stocken.
These had never flowered and Frank thought we might like the challenge. Although
it grew well under our usual regime "Stocken" still steadfastly refused to
flower. In desperation I planted some in my bulb frame, which is kept
considerably drier in summer, and where it finally rewarded us by flowering
profusely. It has been provisionally identified as N. willkommii.
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Narcissus Pequenita |
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We have found that the really
tiny jonquil hybrids, particularly John Blanchard's
'Sabrosa' and
'Pequenita' are
best given a similar treatment although the slightly taller hybrids such as
'Sundial',
'Clare' and
'Sundisc' are much more vigorous and make excellent
garden plants. Although they are too tall to be grown among the smallest alpines
they are the perfect companions for the slightly more robust phlox etc. They
revel in a well drained, sunny site and one of the most striking- the white and
yellow 'Segovia'- is grown in the open field here. The dwarf tazetta species
known as N.canaliculatus is only really hardy in the south of Britain and
certainly flowers best in a sunny, well drained soil. The similar, cream
coloured hybrid 'Minnow' is much more amenable to general garden conditions.
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Narcissus canaliculatus |
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By contrast we virtually lost
the entire stock of one hybrid by ignoring our own rules and killing it with
kindness. As the stock was so small we planted N. Eystettensis (Queen Anne's
double daffodil) in the troughs that we use for our most vulnerable varieties.
Here, instead of thriving, it gradually dwindled, unlike a clump in a cool
woodland bed that continued to steadily increase. N. Eystettensis is one of the
oldest narcissus still in cultivation and is a member of the pseudonarcissus
section. These are principally trumpet daffodils. Although they are probably the
most adaptable of all the daffodil groups they prefer cool woodland conditions
where they are usually long lived. Even the smallest trumpet hybrids are best
grown under these conditions. The tiny 'Gipsy Queen' grows and flowers freely at
the base of a hawthorn in company with Corydalis flexuosa. The most perfect of
all miniature trumpets. N. asturiensis, has a reputation for being shortlived in
cultivation but my clump has flowered happily for 25years in a relatively dry
acid soil under a large Pieris. Sadly though it has refused to set seed and has
shown little inclination to multiply. |
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Narcissus cyclamineus |
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Although at first glance they
could not be more unalike
N. cyclamimeus is also a member of the same section.
With its completely reflexed perinath it needs little introduction and is best
grown in an acid soil that is not too dry, especially in spring. As experiments
at Rosemoor Gardens have shown it will grow in grass, but my experience is that
it prefers a border. Like many species the bulbs themselves only rarely increase
but they grow freely from seed, flowering in 3-4 years, rather than the more
usual 7. It is also one of the few to produce natural hybrids in the garden and
one of the easiest to hybridise. A careful examination of the individual flowers
at the Savil Gardens will reveal many self sown hybrids between N. cyclamineus
and other daffodils, principally forms of N. minor and N. pseudonarcissus. Some
are rather crude, with barely reflexed petals while others have a grace and
charm similar to that of N. cyclamineus itself. However tempting it is, these
crosses should not be given the name 'Mini-cycla'. This can only be applied to
the specific hybrid between N. asturiensis and N. cyclamineus registered by
F. Herbert Chapman in 1913. Although this charming 8cm miniature is reputedly not
fully hardy it has steadily increased for many years in my rhodo. bed. However I
find it very tempermental in pots as it seems prone to basal rot. The similar,
though taller N.'Mite'
is gradually becoming available and has proved itself very vigorous with
me, although it too does not like long term pot culture, preferring the open
garden. The
tiny, bicoloured N. 'Mitzy' appears very fragile but does well in similar
conditions. The slightly more robust trio -
'Tete a Tete',
'Jumblie' and
'Quince'- now reclassified as Division 12 (other daffodils), still show their cyclamineus parentage and perform best in the cooler part of the garden, often
being relatively short lived on dry, limey soils. |
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Narcissus Mite |
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Narcissus Quince |
Narcissus Jumblie |
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Producing a new plant is one
of the most rewarding aspects of gardening but requires a large amount of time
and patience. N.cyclamineus is probably the easiest narcissus to hybridise and
one of the best for beginners as the seedlings flower satisfyingly early. Seed
should be thinly sown in an open, loam based compost with added moss peat. Once
the seedlings appear they should be regularly watered with a dilute tomato
fertiliser and will be ready to plant out in their third year, when they will
also begin to flower.
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Narcissus Hawera |
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The dry pine litter of Central
Spanish mountains is the natural home of N. triandrus. Although relatively easy
as a pan subject it is only really happy in the open garden in a dry acid soil.
The only expanding colony that I know is in light grass under a huge oak tree.
This soil preference has been inherited by most of its first generation
offspring.
N.'Hawera' and the similar N.'April
Tears', usually struggle after a couple of years but planted among
rhododendrons they take on a whole new appearance, proving vigorous and
extremely floriferous.
N. 'Petrel'
is like a slightly larger
white
'Hawera' and seems more adaptable.Of the other smaller
hybrids we have found 'Mary Plumsread' the easiest, although we have not tried
it in the open garden. The intermediate triandrus hybrids such as 'Dawn' and
'Harmony Bells' are a little too tall for all but the largest rock garden
although I use them successfully among Trilliums and other woodland plants under
shrubs. |
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Narcissus triandrus |
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The Christmas flowering white
bulbocodiums are not really happy in the garden. We have succeeded for a short
time in a trough but inclement weather usually damages the flowers and the bulbs
gradually dwindle. The later flowering golden varieties are much easier, In the
wild many are snow melt plants and all require plenty of moisture as they grow.
At Marwood Hill they are virtually growing in a small, seasonal stream and both
the famous alpine meadows at Wisley and Savil Gardens have a high spring water
table. Despite their apparent vigour N. bulbocodium can be quite difficult to
establish as bulbs planted directly into grass do not always suceed. We have
had more success by putting 1-3 bulbs in a 9cm pot and then planting them out,
soil and all, in the spring. Fritillaria meleagris has also been established in
a similar way. If self sowing is desired then the grass must be left uncut until
the seed is ripe and has been dispersed. Alternatively seedlings can be raised
in trays and grown on to flowering size. Most of the N. bulbocodium listed in
catalogues are selections, so far I do dot know of a bulbocodium hybrid, such as
'Kenellis'
that is truely gardenworthy. Sadly most seem to decline when planted
outside. |
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A glance at any spring show or daffodil competition bench will
give an idea of the huge variety to be found in daffodils today and similar
range of flower shape. Colour and stature can be found in the miniatures and
many can grown in the garden given a little effort. |
