“Daffodils, that come before the swallow dares, and take the winds of March with beauty”
Quote from William Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale” (Act 4, scene 3, line 118)
Daffodil Blooms Well Advanced In Tipperary
Daffodils bulbs planted last autumn usually come into bloom in late winter and early spring. Daffodils are usually regarded as a ‘March Flower’, synonymous with spring, but note that season is not officially due until Wednesday, March 20th 2019, at 3:59am GMT.
However this year, possibly, because of our mild weather during November / December, here in Co. Tipperary, this hardy perennial bulb, growth-wise, is well advanced out of doors. Even with heavy frost and colder weather promised next week, you can expect bright yellow and white daffodil blooms, of most varieties, to be adorning sheltered gardens, later this very month.
“Daffodowndilly.” – Poem by A. A. Milne.
She wore her yellow sun-bonnet, she wore her greenest gown;
She turned to the south wind and curtsied up and down.
She turned to the sunlight and shook her yellow head,
And whispered to her neighbour: “Winter is dead.”END
Daffodil flowers themselves make for great cut flowers for the indoors, however personally to use a quote from George B. Shaw, “I like flowers, I also like children, but I do not chop their heads off and keep them in bowls of water around the house.” I much prefer to observe Daffodils growing in a wooded garden or living wild and discarded by the hundreds, in a low-density forest forming an open habitat while displaying plenty of sunlight.
In truth, what we here in Tipperary, and indeed nationally, call ‘daffodils’, same should be more aptly called ‘narcissus’, when referring to our larger yellow variety; while the smaller, paler versions should be more correctly referred to as ‘jonquils’. But in fact they all belong to the genus ‘narcissus’.
Also known as the “Lent Lily”; for the most part same should be on the decline when Lent, that annual period of Christian observance that precedes Easter, eventually comes around this year. [Note: Lent in 2019 will start on March 6th, some 61 days hence, from today].
Daffodils gain their name from the Greek god Narcissus. Fable and folklore inform us that Narcissus was so enamoured with his own reflection in water, that he drowned himself in his efforts to capture his own reflection. Daffodils growing along the banks of rivers supposedly became associated with this mythical Greek god Narcissus, taking on his name, probably due to their reflected beauty seen in running water.
Poisonous to humans and animals to the secret delight of flower lovers and growers, yet used in the manufacture of perfumes and cosmetics; daffodils are observed as symbolic of:- Vitality; Rebirth; Forgiveness; Regard; Creativity; Inspiration and Renewal.
Leave a Reply