April 14, 2010

My Daffodil Hill



A favorite spring planting at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is its Daffodil Hill. Here is my small version on the slope below my favorite apple tree, which I wrote about during pruning season. The brilliant yellow is a happy sight during spring, vivid life when trees and shrubs are still bare of leaves.




I thought I'd show a photo of some daffodils that I didn't plant; they are volunteers, these next to the compost pile, others popping up here and there. They are a split cup, double flower, which I know for sure that I didn't order, so they are probably the result of cross pollination, with seeds being spread by wind or birds. Life is vigorous and insistent.
UPDATE, April 26: I have found out, through Old House Gardens, that this daffodil is an ancient variety, dating back to 1620 named Van Sion. To read about it, click on the Old House Gardens link.

3 comments:

  1. I want to be on Daffodil hill...
    Previous two posts featured art that is equally compelling though in different ways. Can't figure out why yet.

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  2. The double yellow daff odil you say you didn't plant looks just like some that are growing on our property around an old 19th century foundation--so I'm wondering if they are maybe a surviving heirloom variety?

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  3. I got my double skirted daffodils from Mary Azarian, who said they were "old" ones, so I am in agreement with Susan on potential heirloom variety. They are very early, my first to open, and always make me think of that nursery rhyme about green petticoats.

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