8 varieties that will change your opinion on daffodils

Not all Daffodils are golden and trumpet-shaped you know! They can be pink (yes, pink), bright orange, or even a medley of all those colours. Shapes can vary from saucer-shaped to slender rocket.. And new types are being bred all the time!

Here’s a few of my favourites from my recent trip to The Netherlands – with a few rare and unique ones in there too!

 

The most popular and widely-grown of the ‘cyclamen types’, this little beaut has perfect golden-yellow flowers in a very unique shape. It almost looks like a flying sausage with wings. A small variety, flowers for a long time, and could win over Tete a Tete in a fist fight!

 

Flipping heck, this is fancy! The flowers are so double (i.e. extra layers of petals) that they almost become spherical. A smart little mid-height variety too, I quite fancy sinking some into the long grass.

 

I remember being unnaturally obsessed with this variety a few years ago. It is what’s known as a ‘split corona’ type, which contrary to its sound, is a good thing! The centre is decidedly pink when the flower first opens, ageing to the glowing orange you see here. Blooms are big too, almost 6 inches, although we know 6 inches is always negotiable!

 

Get me drunk on daffodils, pour me another Banana Daiquiri. HUGE flowers that could be easily mistaken for an orchid. Although ‘pink’ diffs are lovely, this classic yellow-gold is the first reason we grow daffodils, have to admit that!

 

We are all size queens, but bigger specimens also need to perform. That’s no such worry with ‘Ferris Wheel’, those frilly dense flowers are incredibly weather-proof. Take a look at the foliage too, it’s a lovely glaucous blue. Foliage on spring bulbs its often overlooked, but you spend more time with the foliage than the flowers, so it pays to take notice!

 

My host at the daffodil farm pointed out how very unique this is. It has a double trumpet, but ALSO a double set of back petals (I don’t know any of those officials terms, sorry!). A very special finding in The Netherlands, and not widely available, but one day it might be. Shall we call it ‘Pot of Gold’??

 

These 4 inch flowers are more than satisfying, with a constantly evolving centre, which flushes with sunshine yellow as it ages. A fine border plant, just as at home in the border as the vase – now there’s a cutting dilemma!

 

Cor! It looks so modern, yet this is as old as Frank Sinatra. Richly fragrant, and perfectly formed, ladies used to wear them in their hats. To all the naysayers who think it’s only modern breeders obsessed with multi-layered flowers, ‘Irene Copeland’ sure puts the dog among the sparrows!