The Blooming Daffodil Border at My Farm
Brightly colored daffodils are blooming at my Bedford, New York farm. And looking at the swaths of white, orange, and yellow narcissi blowing gently in the breeze always makes me so happy.
I started developing my long daffodil border in 2003. Since then, I’ve expanded the collection, and after lots of careful planning and planting, the border now extends the length of one side of my property from the Summer House, behind my azaleas, past the stable, and down to the Japanese maple woodland. And, because daffodils naturalize easily, more and more blooms emerge each spring. Together with jonquils, daffodil flowers belong to the genus Narcissus - there is no major difference, all are the same.
There are so many varieties planted in my daffodil border. Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- It’s daffodil time! Here I am among these gorgeous flowers in one section of my daffodil border.
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- The daffodil border is broken up into various groupings – different varieties, different shapes and sizes, and different blooming times. I love photographing the swaths of blooms – they look magnificent this season.
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- Narcissus is a genus of spring perennials in the Amaryllidaceae family. They’re known by the common name daffodil, and there are no stringent rules as to the differences between daffodils, jonquils, and narcissus – all are the same.
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- The species are native to meadows and woods in southwest Europe and North Africa. Narcissi tend to be long lived bulbs and are popular ornamental plants in public and private gardens.
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- The flowers are generally white or yellow with either uniform or contrasting colored tepals and corona.
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- There are at least 50-species of daffodils, and more than 27-thousand registered daffodil hybrids.
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- There is also one named after me, Narcissus ‘Martha Stewart’, which I have planted here at the farm beneath my stately pin oaks.
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- When choosing where to plant daffodils, select an area that gets at least half a day of sun. Hillsides and raised beds do nicely.
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- Narcissus naturalize very easily. Lift and divide overcrowded clumps in late June or July. I take stock of my daffodils every year to see what is growing well and what is not, so I can learn what to remove, where to add more, and what to plant next.
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- In my daffodil border, I planted early, mid and late season blooming varieties so that when one section is done blooming, another is just opening up. Consider this strategy to lengthen the blooming season.
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- We planted about three thousand bulbs in this bed located to one side of my allee of lindens. Most are from Colorblends Flower Bulbs – a third-generation wholesale flower merchant in nearby Bridgeport, Connecticut. Among those we planted here include ‘Acropolis,’ ‘Barrett Browning,’ ‘Delnashaugh,’ ‘Cassata,’ ‘Snowboard,’ ‘Delibes,’ ‘White Lion,’ ‘Sir Winston Churchill,’ ‘Kedron,’ and ‘Segovia.’
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- Normal rainfall will typically take care of any watering requirements during the spring flowering season. The most important care tip is to provide daffodils with rich, well-drained soil.
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- Daffodil plants prefer a neutral to slightly acidic soil. Be sure they are planted where there is room for them to spread, but not where the soil is water-logged.
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- This cheerful daffodil, with its color contrast, makes a bold statement in the border. Cultivars with bold colored cups generally retain better color when planted in a little shade to protect them from the hot afternoon sun.
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- Few pests bother daffodils. The bulbs are actually quite unappetizing to most insects and animals, including deer and voles.
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- After daffodils bloom in the spring, allow the plants to continue growing until they die off on their own. They need the time after blooming to store energy in their bulbs for next year.
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- When cutting daffodils, they should be kept alone in the vase as their stems secrete a fluid that promotes wilting in other flowers. If you need to combine flowers, soak them alone first and then add them to the arrangements last.
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- In general, daffodils are easy to care for and hardy plants. Diseases common to daffodils include basal rot, various viruses and fungi.
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- Daffodils can also grow in containers as long as there is room to multiply and room for the roots to fill out. They can bloom well for two to three years – after that, it’s best to move them to a spot in the ground where they will come up once a year.
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- This daffodil has six white petals and a soft yellow cup.
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- The American Daffodil Society classifies daffodils by their flower shape. And depending on the type of cultivar and where it is planted, the daffodil’s flowering season can last up to several weeks.
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- Here’s another view of the stunning border – I love driving by these magnificent flowers every morning when I tour the farm.
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- But everyone enjoys the daffodils here – even my peafowl! What daffodils are growing around your home? Share your favorite varieties with me in the comments section below.
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