Friday 4 April 2014

Plain And Simple For Me

I've always loved the traditional, plain, old, yellow daffodils, the ones you see growing at the road side or growing en masse in a field and blowing in the breeze. Therefore, it was with trepidation that I bought the variety Professor Einstein last autumn. Would it live up to my expectations from a daffodil?


The answer is a resounding no. Some of them have come up blind, that is with foliage but no flower, but the ones which have flowered just don't cut the mustard. I thought it would be a nice change to have something different to the usual yellow this year, but they don't do it for me. Professor Einstein has white petals and a striking, flattish, orange cup, nice enough but not what I want in a daffodil.


I'm pleased that I have some of my beloved yellow daffodils planted in the garden or else I'd be really disappointed this year. How about you, do you have a favourite variety of daffodil?

Don't forget to enter my Blog Anniversary Giveaway if you haven't already done so. You've got until Sunday the 13th of April 2014 to leave a comment on the appropriate post.

42 comments:

  1. thanks for the reminder Jo. I've just entered. I'm with you on dafs, I prefer good old fashioned yellow but I've yet to plant some in my garden and I've been here 10 years. A job for Sept. Amanda x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've got daffodils in my garden which were here before we were, and we moved in over twenty years ago. I also tend to plant those I've grown in containers in the garden, so there's quite a few in the ground now.

      Delete
  2. I like the traditional types too, such as Tete a Tete and King Alfred, though I must say I also like the modern ones for a bit of variety. The Soleils d'Or I had this year were very good indeed - and their perfume is incredibly strong!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think we're on the same wavelength where daffodils are concerned. I enjoyed seeing your Soleils d'Or this year and it's always an advantage if they're scented.

      Delete
  3. How disappointing. I must admit I do love the traditional yellow daffodils all of which have flowered this year.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad I've got my traditional daffodils in the ground to enjoy, though I'm not discounting growing some others again next year, I do like to experiment with things.

      Delete
  4. I like yellow ones too, although I am really pleased with the multi headed yellow cheerfulness that I planted in my front garden last autumn. They've done really well and look very cheerful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cheerfulness is a bit too frilly for me, but I do like the plainer multi headed varieties, they give more for your money.

      Delete
  5. 'Thalia' is a very stylish white one which I wouldn't want to be without.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've just looked that one up and it's lovely, as you say, stylish. It's very simple and elegant.

      Delete
  6. I planted three pots of tete a tete and three of another variety that I can't remember the name of. The tete a tete came up and did really well and looked beautiful. The others have call come up totally blind, not a single flower and I am very disappointed in them. I only wish that I had remembered the variety so that I don't buy them again! Sorry that you didn't have the success you wanted with yours. They are pretty, but I understand the frustration with them not all flowering and the fact that they don't give that daffodil look that you are after! Better luck next year I guess is all that we can both hope for! xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. What a shame, at least mine have done marginally better than yours. I love tete a tete, I had a container of those too.

      Delete
  7. Sorry some of your new bulbs came up blind.

    I agree with you, nothing beats the native Narcissus pseudonarcissus.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think I mind them coming up blind as much as I would have done if I'd been particuarly fond of the variety. I don't think the plain yellow daffodils can be beaten.

      Delete
  8. I have to say that I'm not keen on these either, maybe if they had yellow centres they'd be better.
    I do prefer the all yellow, or white, ones. Flighty xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. These are a bit in your face. Perhaps, as you say, they'd be better with yellow centres.

      Delete
  9. Much prefer the yellow daffs or even the double ones are very pretty, we are expecting to come over to the uk in August so hopefully I can pick some up

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not so keen on the double ones, they're a bit too frilly for me. I like to keep it simple. I hope you manage to get over here, I bet you go back with everything you find hard to buy over there.

      Delete
  10. I tend to buy the little ones, the simpler and plainer the better. There were quite a few taller daffs already here. I am trying to consolidate them into drifts, where I think they'll look good... hard to dig up though when they've had a chance to establish.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Daffodils look gorgeous in drifts, though I know what you mean about them being hard to dig up. The ones in my garden have been here since before we moved in over twenty years ago, I wouldn't like to try and move them.

      Delete
  11. I do like the yellow ones best but I'm going for a combination of types later on this year. At least you got a few of your new ones xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It will be nice to see a combination of varieties, something to suit everyone's tastes.

      Delete
  12. I don't grow any daffodils, but I don't mind the white ones. And the ordinary plain ones look nice on grass verges. By this time of year I'm over them though!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Daffodils are one of my favourite flowers, I always have them in the house at this time of year, they're like cheerfulness in a vase.

      Delete
  13. They are pretty, but I'm with you in that I prefer traditional daffodils. They always cheer me up and this year seems to gave been a really good year for daffs xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. These daffodils which I've grown in a container seemed to take a long time to bloom, but the ones in the garden have been going for a long time and they're still going strong.

      Delete
  14. I like the mini daffodils in the garden or the less vigorous whites on the plot we grow the traditional large yellows. I'm not keen on doubles or pinkish trumpets and like you think that the Proffessor is too garish.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm fond of the mini daffodils, they seem to stand up to the weather better than their taller cousins too.

      Delete
  15. Tom my mind the best simple yellow daff is 'St Keverne'. It is big and bright and robust and tall and fab. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a lovely one, exactly the type I like.

      Delete
  16. We can't grow daffodil here. Every varieties that grown are so beautiful and amazing for me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a shame you can't grow daffodils, they're one of my favourite flowers and there's a variety to suit everyone's tastes.

      Delete
  17. That is rather pretty but I agree with you, I like to see daffs in huge clumps in the garden or roadside as you say. Sometimes flowers and plants are over faffed with and they end up to complicated looking.xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree about flowers being faffed with too much. I think that's why I find native wild flowers which grow as nature intended so pretty. They haven't had to have anything done to them to make them so appealing.

      Delete
  18. Oh I quite like the look of the Prof Jo although I'm sorry that you've been disappointed. I like the paler little daffs although I do have quite a few sunny 'Tête-à-tête' in pots and in the ground. I love the taller white 'Thalia' too but sadly she took a battering in the rain as soon as she opened :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think you can go wrong with tete a tete's, and they seem to hold up better in the weather too. It's such a shame when flowers take a battering in the rain, especially when we have to wait a whole year to see them again.

      Delete
  19. Well, I like all of them, although I have only the yellow ones in my garden. But only because I still try things out:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's easy to pick bulbs up very cheaply so they're ideal for experimenting with. Even though I prefer the yellow ones, I'll probably try something new out again next year.

      Delete
  20. We inherited our daffodils so I don't know the variety. They are palish yellow with quite a large frilly edged trumpet. They go even paler over time, which I like, but the tall stalks certainly got a battering from the rain year.
    It gave me the excuse to pick some and enjoy them in the house! Sorry some of your Professor Einsteins didn't do well and not to your taste.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We inherited lots of the daffodils in our garden too, that was over twenty years ago and they're still going strong. I love having daffodils in the house, they're such a cheery flower they really brighten the place up.

      Delete
  21. I'm with you. Some of the other varieties can be pretty, but they don't say "spring" or make me smile in the way the simple yellow ones do for me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a very good point about spring. Daffodils herald its arrival for me, but only the yellow ones.

      Delete

 
!-- Start of StatCounter Code for Blogger / Blogspot -->