Ode to the Daffodil

As "Brewster in Bloom",  Nantucket's "Daffodil Days" and Spohr Garden's "Daffodil Days" are upon us, we thought it only right to take a closer look at that persistant yellow bloom swaying proudly in the breeze up and down Old King's Highway. And, well, pretty much anywhere else right now on the Cape.

Although it may seem like a pretty standard flower that seems to bloom anywhere and everywhere, with or without assistance, the Daffodil is a little extra special on Cape Cod. It is one of the bright and true harbingers of spring.

Once the Daffodils poke their heads out of the soil, New Englanders, and Cape  Codders more specifically, start preparing for spring by putting away their snow shovels, shutting off the heat and wearing only shorts, even though there still may be a nip in the air. (We would have included grilling outdoors, but everybody knows real New Englanders grill year-round!)

That's because Daffodils signal hope. Hope that the winter is over--no more bundling up, paying high heating bills and swearing under your breath everytime you skid across the ice to go and warm up your car.  Daffodils mean summer's just around the corner: swimming, warm sunshine, cookouts and days at the beach!

So, here's to the daffodil, we bid you a hearty welcome! And offer you our complete devotion and attention until the rosa rugosa burst onto the scene that is!

(Left to right): Spohr Gardens in Falmouth, Taylor-
Bray Farm in Yarmouth Port and the Brewster
General Store in Brewster.

The Latin name for Daffodil is Narcissus.  As Daffodils bob in the breeze with their "cup" pointing downward, one must think of the Greek Myth of Narcissus.  According to legend, the beautiful Narcissus was the object of affection of more than one nymph.  One day as he gazed into a clear pool of water, he was captured by the vision of his own beauty and was unable to leave that spot.  Dying there, a flower bearing his name grew in that place.

William Wordsworth (1770-1850) paid homage to the bloom in his poem "Daffodils" which begins:

I WANDER'D lonely as a cloud
  That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
  A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

There are currently twenty-five species of Daffodils.  According to the "Daffodil Data Bank" there are over 13,000 hybrids included within the twelve official divisions.  The most commonly seen Daffodil is the Trumpet Daffodil which features a "cup" as long or longer than the flower's petals. 

According to the American Daffodil Society, whose closest local chapter is in Connecticut, Daffodil bulbs are quite hearty and last for quite some time.  Depending upon the part of the country, and they do grow all over, Daffodils flower from six weeks to six months.  The bulbs are planted in the fall and because of the heartiness of the flower, are considered an excellent planting for the beginning gardener.   They also require very little maintenance.

So get out your cameras and take some memorable photographs this spring.  Or get ready to start planting in the fall!  We've included a few  Daffodil resources below:

Festival Websites
Brewster in Bloom, April 28th-30th, 2006
Daffodil Days at Spohr Gardens, April 29th & May 6, 2006
Daffodil Days on Nantucket, April 28th-30th, 2006

Other Resources
Nursery and Garden store links at cctoday featuring Hart Farm Nursery
American Daffodil Society