The Flowers That Bloom In The Spring
Like a breath of fresh air, spring begins on March 20. Probably the most recognizable symbol of this time of year is the daffodil.
In his report on The Saturday Early Show, gardening expert P. Allen Smith showed us how a beautiful plant is found inside the "little brown wrapper" of a daffodil bulb. Did you know that there are 12 classifications of daffodils and literally thousands of daffodils in each class? Allen shares a few of these varieties with us.
Daffodils will grow throughout most of the country, however some varieties perform better than others in any given area. With more than 13,000 daffodil hybrids to choose from, the best advice is to experiment and compare notes with other gardeners to find the bulbs that will perform best for you.
When planting daffodils, be generous. In the fall, plant bulbs in large drifts using the same variety for the strongest visual impact. Smith likes to plant bulbs in groups of 25 to 50. While these flowers are some of the easiest to grow and most dependable, it is important to plant daffodils in areas of good drainage and plenty of sun.
While daffodils are the most common name for this flower in the United States, they can also be referred to as a buttercup or a jonquil. The Latin, or botanical name, is narcissus.
Since daffodil blooms seem to be everywhere in the spring, one might think they're native American wild flowers, but they're not. Most of them come from Europe and have been used in gardens long before the time of the Romans. Over the years, many different varieties of daffodils have been developed. In fact, they are divided into 12 main divisions and numerous subdivisions.
When arranging daffodils, it is important to know that the sap that flows out of the ends of the stems is harmful to most other flowers. Compounds in the sap will cause other flowers, if used with daffodils, to go limp or wilt. So, it is best to use all daffodils in an arrangement or set them aside for 12 hours in a separate container, changing the water a couple of times before mixing them with other flowers.
Since their stems can be easily broken or bent, grouping them with shortened stems and binding them together with a rubber band near the flower heads can make a handsome presentation. Longer stemmed flowers work better if placed in a vase or a container with a wire mesh such as chicken wire. This method will allow you to turn their faces in the direction you want and you can fill in between the flowers with an evergreen like the classic boxwood to help set off the blooms.
For more on daffodils:
Smith also talks about a living memorial called the Daffodil Project. This project honors those affected by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.
In the aftermath of the World Trade Center attack, thousands of New Yorkers sought a way to commemorate those lost while contributing to the city's emotional and physical rebirth. The City of New York/Parks & Recreation, Partnerships for Parks, the City Parks Foundation, the Parks Council, the Central Park Conservancy, the Coalition for New York City Parks and hundreds of park groups organized a living tribute to those who died in the Sept. 11 attack.
Citizens, including those directly affected by the attacks, were invited to help to create a permanent, recurring memorial and sense of renewal for the city. They planted more than 1 million daffodil bulbs in parks, along highways, in community gardens, and in front of fire houses, police stations, libraries, and schools around the city.
More than 1 million bulbs will bloom into "fields of gold" this spring and for all the springs to follow, lifting the spirits of New York's of New York's citizens and visitors.
P. Allen Smith is a garden designer based in Little Rock, Ark. He studied garden history and design in Britain. He does 90-second gardening tips that run on The Weather Channel, will soon publish a book called "Gardenhome," and oversees his own Web site, pallensmith.com. As well as maintaining a beautiful garden at his home in Little Rock, Smith also keeps bees and chickens.