Radiating Spring Joy: Daffodils

Radiating Spring Joy: Daffodils

By Andrew Hind

Photo courtesy of Niagara Parks Commission

Canadian winters are long and dreary. We find ourselves longing for the arrival of warmer days, the melting snow, and the revitalization of our yards. Spring, when it finally comes around, arrives slowly, shyly. And then it happens. Seemingly overnight, gardens burst to life with cheerful dashes of gold as daffodils push their way through the soil. Radiating spring joy, daffodils are the perfect tonic for the winter-weary.

Some might argue daffodils are the perfect flower: perennial, brightly colored, hardy, and largely care free, and among the first flowers of spring when yards are dreary and colorless. In short, what’s not to love about these quintessential spring favorites?

Certainly Charles Hunter, Director of Horticulture for Niagara Parks Commission, appreciates their appeal. “We plant 35,000 daffodils every year, and there are over a million in our parklands stretching from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie. Niagara Falls is known as ‘Daffodil Capital of North America’ and for good reason”, he explains.

Daffodils, a member of the Amaryllis family, are native to the meadows and woods in Europe, North Africa and western Asia. These harbingers of spring have been inspiring people for centuries; so much so the daffodil is a plant with great cultural significance in many societies.

One of the reasons daffodils are so beloved today is the ease in which they are grown. Few flowers give so much and demand so little. “Tulips are the princesses of the bulb world because they demand so much attention, whereas daffodils are largely carefree. They are very soil-tolerant, but do best in moist, well-drained soil,

and flower best in full sun, but will do well in partial shade as well,” Hunter explains.

Daffodils will grow under any sunny location, but they look particularly striking in naturalized settings such as on grassy hillsides, along wood-lines, or under the shadows of deciduous trees before they leaf out in late spring. Planting under flowering trees or shrubs is a classic strategy to limit the amount of moisture daffodil bulbs receive in the summer. When planting daffodils, don’t be afraid to go bold: use daffodils in great, dynamite clusters to provide a welcome jolt of early spring color. The more daffodils you plant, the more people will sit up and take notice.

Unlike many other bulbs, daffodils are critter proof. Deer, squirrels, chipmunks, gophers, and other common garden foragers will not eat them. One of the reasons for this is that the bulbs contain the alkaloid poison lycorine. The poison is extremely mild and poses no risk to humans, but some people with sensitive skin have complained of an irritant called ‘daffodil itch’ after prolonged handling. Symptoms include dryness and itchiness, but it’s extremely rare.

While any gardener appreciates any flower that lessens their workload, that’s not the true appeal of the daffodil. It’s far more visceral than that. Their brilliant blooms after months of cold and grey are a cheerful herald of coming springtime, offering a farewell to winter’s bleakness and the promise of a glorious summer ahead.

“Daffodils are wonderful because they are so beautiful, so carefree, and because of their ability to colonize themselves,” enthuses Hunter. “They are a great investment.” TM