Depending on where you live, Daffodils will bloom from six weeks to six months. After the blooming season, let the Daffodil plant rebuild its bulb for the next year. The leaves stay green while this rebuilding process is taking place. When you see the leaves turning yellow, then go ahead and cut the leaves off. Otherwise, leave them alone.

According to the American Daffodil Society, there are between 50 and 100 species of Daffodils. However, when you talk to different botanists, they claim that there are between 40 to 200 different Daffodil species.

And, get this, the Daffodil is the national flower of Wales and it is a tradition to wear a Daffodil on Saint David’s Day which is March 1st. In some countries the yellow Daffodil is associated with Easter. It is also a common decoration during the Chinese New Year. There is a Daffodil Festival in Nantucket, MA in April every year. It is a celebration of spring and hundreds of antique cars are adorned with thousands of Daffodils. Awesome!

To get you started with your Daffodil gardening, here are a few of my favorites. As I mentioned above, the botanical name for all Daffodils is Narcissus.

Daffodil ‘Rose of May’
This one is a real beauty and quite different than most Daffodils. It has double flowers and blooms in late spring. The flowers are a soft shade of ivory-white with hints of pale yellow at the center. Rose of May stands up well to wind and rain and thrives in zones 3-9.

Daffodil ‘Curly’
Here is a delightful little Daffodil that grows just 12 to 14 inches high. It produces masses of very short, curled dark yellow petals surrounding a yellow center. Clear white petals form on the outside for a very unique and beautiful look. It is just the right size that will survive wind and rain and thrives in zones 3-9.

Daffodil ‘Fidelity’
Take a look at the unusual color combination of this Daffodil which was introduced 20 years ago. The ring of petals around the base of the bloom is light yellow and the long trumpet is apricot-pink with the petal tips rolled and flared. Fidelity blooms in mid spring and thrives in zones 4-9.

Daffodil ‘Avalon’
Wow! This Daffodil has bi-color trumpet and bi-color petals. Although Avalon is not officially a trumpet Daffodil, it has a large cup that is almost 4 inches wide. The blooms arise on 16 to 18 inch stems and blooms mid-season. It is recommended that you plant about 5 bulbs per square foot, and Avalon thrives in zones 4-8.

Enjoy,
Diana

Technorati Tags: Daffodils, Flower Gardening, Gardening

The bat plant produces eye-catching foliage and the flower is one of the most talked about you will have in your garden. The flower is a strange looking one that almost resembles a bat’s black face with large ears and long spooky whiskers. This unusual tropical perennial comes from the monsoon forests of West Africa and South East Asia.

For Gothic charm and a bit of Halloween decorations, get a bat plant bulb, plant it now in the autumn and you should have that unique ghostly garden next year. From what I understand, the bat plant blooms in late summer and early fall in Florida. For colder climates, it is recommended that you plant the bulb indoors in a container and then move it outside when the weather warms up.

If you want to have some fun, plant the bulb now in an unusual container like a hollowed pumpkin or a coffin like one with orange and yellow colors. Next spring, the plant will come up with lots of glossy leaves and in early summer, a stalk will develop resembling a budge near the tip. After that the flower begins to form, whiskers and all, resembling a bat’s face.

The bat plant comes in white and maroon colors and the maroon one looks really spooky. It reaches 3 feet tall and wide and likes indirect sunlight so it is best to plant it indoors. If you want to plant it in the garden, dig a hole large enough so that you can put the whole pot into it. This way, you can easily move it indoors when the weather gets cold.

To your ghostly garden,
Diana

Technorati Tags: Bat Plant, Flower Gardening, Gardening

Narcissus are somewhat similar to daffodils but the main difference is that Narcissus have a central trumpet-like shape, or disc-shaped surrounded by a ring of six floral leaves called the perianth.

Years ago, Narcissus was used for medicinal purposes. It has bee said that in traditional Japanese medicine, wounds were treated with Narcissus root and wheat flour paste. The Roman physician Aulus Cornelius Celsus listed Narcissus root to be among medical herbs and described it as emollient, erodent, and very powerful in getting rid of any ailments of the body.

The Narcissus flower is named after Narcissus in Greek mythology who was the god of beauty. According to history, Narcissus was the son of the river god Cephisus. When he was born, they asked a seer named Tiresias if the child would live a long life and the answer was ‘if he never knows himself’. The story goes on to say that Narcissus supposedly turned into a flower when he died.

There is lots of history behind the Narcissus flower and will not bore you with all the details. What is really important here is that Narcissus are a beautiful flower and easy to grow. If you like daffodils, then you will love Narcissus because they are in the same family. There are also many species in the market today and here are a few that I am familiar with.

Narcissus ‘Golden Ducat’ – Botanical name is the same

This Narcissus somewhat resembles a Peony with its huge 4-inch double blooms. It produced golden blooms with many fluffy points that extend 4 inches wide atop 15-inch stems. Golden Ducat blooms mid to late spring and grows well in zones 4-8.

Narcissus ‘Jetfire’ – Botanical name is the same

Plant Jetfire among other tall perennials as these only grow on 8 inch stems. The golden petals are bent back on long ruffled orange trumpets. Jetfire is considered a free-blooming as many of the 8 inch stems will produce a second blossom. It blooms early spring to mid spring and grows well in zones 4-9.

Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’ – Botanical name is the same

Here is a beautiful bi-color Narcissus that is bad weather resistant. Ice Follies blooms measure almost 5 inches wide on 20 inch stems. The outside petals are pure white with a creased look. The cup is shallow and butter yellow shading at the petal tips to a darker shade at the center. Ice follies blooms mid spring and grows well in zones 4-8,

Enjoy,
Diana

Technorati Tags: Autumn Bulbs, Flower Gardening, Gardening, Narcissus

Tulips come in an incredible variety of colors and different heights and shapes and are the flower emblem of Holland. Although tulips were first cultivated and hybridized by the Turks of the Ottoman Empire, these are grown on very large scale in the Netherlands where their history goes back to the sixteenth century thanks to Dutch gardener Carolus Clusius who introduced tulips to Holland. There are approximately 3 billion tulip bulbs produced in Holland annually.

It has been said that tulips represent grace and elegance and it is recognized as one the world’s most loved flower. I am not surprised because tulips are beautiful and favored by many gardeners today all over the world. According to gardeners, the standard meaning of tulips is perfect love and like many other flowers, different colors have been associated with a specific expression.

For example, red tulips are strongly associated with true love and purple ones symbolize royalty. Yellow tulips that once represented hopeless love are now associated with cheerful thoughts and sunshine. White tulips usually represent claim of worthiness and sometimes to send a message of forgiveness. Variegated tulips were once among the most popular varieties because of their striking color patters now represent beautiful eyes. With all the sentiments associated with tulips, it is no wonder that their popularity continues to endure through the years.

Tulip bulbs are usually planted in late summer and fall approximately 4-8 inches deep in soil. In areas where there is no cool spring and summer, bulbs can be planted at least 12 inches deep as this will provide protection from summer heat. This process can extend the usefulness of the plants in warmer areas longer. Just follow directions included in your purchase for planting depth for each tulip variety.

Some gardeners say that plant food should be applied above the bulbs but be careful as the plant food should not touch them. Also, tulips do best in loose, well-drained soil. Here is a sampling of some of my favorite tulips.

Tulip ‘Wendy Love’ – Botanical name is Tulipa Wendy Love

This tulip is in the ‘Triumph’ family and the beauty of it is that the blooms change from yellow to pink.  They open in a soft yellow color and gradually change to a rosy pink color. If you want to display a real show with these tulips, plant them in large quantities and watch the colors change. Wow! Blooms come up on 16-18 inch stems which makes ‘Wendy Love’ ideal as cut flowers. Grows well in zones 3-8.

Tulip ‘Sweet Desire’ – Botanical name is Tulipa Sweet Desire

Here is an early blooming tulip which resembles strawberries and cream and is absolutely stunning. The shape of the blooms is peony like flower while the tips of the petals turn inward making the entire flower resemble a wide bowl shape. The flowers come up on 16-18 inch stems and are among the first to arise. They have streaks of green on the petals, then shades of rose and pink to a cream center. Grows well in zones 3-8.

Tulip ‘Quebec’ – Botanical name is Tulipa Greigii Quebec

Here is a multi flowering tulip that looks awesome when planted in large groups that will produce masses of flowers year after year. Plant them as borders, beds or even rock gardens for a spectacular look. The stems are short but strong and are wind resistant. Each stem can produce up to 5 scarlet blooms each edged in creamy yellow with a canary yellow base. Grows well in zones 3-8.

Tulip ‘Groenland’ – Botanical name is Tulipa viridiflora Groenland

Groenland is a very exquisite tulip variety. The blooms are creamy violet-pink with a soft green strip that runs down the center of each petal. Beautiful! Plant them in full sun and at least 5 inches apart in well drained soil. These will reach up to 18 inches tall and grows well in zones 3-8.

To your beautiful tulip garden,
Diana

Technorati Tags: Flower Gardening, Gardening, Tulips