March Header

March is the beginning of Spring in many parts of the U.S. Areas in the South and West are reaching their last frost dates and gardeners everywhere are thinking of planting and growing again. Daffodils are one of the first of the spring bulbs to bloom and we've always grown them. Long-lived and wildlife resistant, Daffodils, oops Narcissus, have had a place in all our gardens.

The variety in the picture is 'February Gold', part of the cyclamineus section of Narcissus. Named cyclamineus in part because the petals are slightly swept back suggesting their namesakes, this section has always been the first of the Daffodils to flower for us. This picture was taken during the third week of January when we grew them in Watsonville but we won't see them until the end of April in New York. To work up a little plant envy, Paperwhites bloom in November in the Bay Area. Although you can't tell from the picture, these flowers are growing in gallon pots set close together. I had to contort my position quite a lot to keep the pots from showing in the picture.