In the Garden | Narcissus

Scent, which is most evident in the groups known as jonquils and tazettas, is a reason for their great popularity as a florist’s flower, along with the ease of growth in a garden setting or containers. In 17th century Britain, great bunches were picked from the wild and sold in the London markets.

Jonquils and tazettas like a slightly alkaline soil and a situation in full sun, where they can benefit from the summer heat as they do in the well-drained rocky places of origin in the central and western Mediterranean. 

Paper white narcissi will generally flower six to eight weeks after planting – the first to appear – from early winter to late spring. Plant the bulbs in late summer or early autumn at a depth twice the diameter of the bulb. Keep the soil moist during the growing period and allow to dry out during dormancy. Although the spent foliage will look untidy as it dies down (slip an elastic band around each clump) it must be left to fall free if the bulbs are to flower well the following year.

Narcissus ‘Cheerfulness’ first appeared in 1923 – an outstanding sturdy plant with up to four double richly scented blooms on each stem. N.’Earlicheer’ is an early bloom but even more floriferous as is the yellow flowered ‘Soleil D’Or’.

N. ‘Silver Chimes’ follows later in the season as does N. ‘Bridal Crown’.  N. pseudonarcissus Pheasants Eye ‘Poeticus’ is a  sweetly fragrant daffodil look-alike with reflexed white petals and a petite orange edged cup.

All can be container grown but will need transplanting into the garden to replenish food supplies. Cluster daffodils (Narcissus) offer one of the prettiest, long-lasting cut blooms. The variety ‘Grand Monarch’ – pure white with a golden cup, produces up to 20 flowers per stem. Bulbs in the garden are best left undisturbed for a few years and only lifted when overcrowding and other problems such as lack of light and food results in fewer and smaller flowers.