Scented Daffodil 'Avalanche'

A strong performer, Daffodil ‘Avalanche’ has up to 20, perfectly perfumed flowers on strong stems. Winner of the prestigious RHS Award of Garden Merit, you know it is going to be good and will naturalise well. Tolerant of warmer weather and poor soils it is certainly garden worthy.

The antique white perianth is topped with an open chartreuse to yellow cup mid season.

This gorgeous heirloom variety that is only now making an appearance in Australian gardens, in the 18th Century this daffodil used to be known as ‘Seventeen Sisters’ as the blooms were so prolific on the stems. It is thought to have been discovered growing wild on a cliff face in Scilly, an archipelago in England.

It is hard to envisage a spring without Daffodils and these are some of the best. We think Wordsworth said it well when he wrote “my heart with pleasure fills, and dances with the daffodils”.

Daffodils are easy and they like the simple things in life; plenty of sun and a well drained soil.

Plant Daffodil bulbs three times as deep as the bulb is high, with the pointy end up. This depth will help protect them from heat and soil erosion, as well as providing strength for the stem.

Space your Daffodils 5-10cm or apart. Planting them closer will give a more dramatic display. We like to plant ours three to a hole as this creates instant effects. When you use this method in garden beds, with smaller clumps more often, you get the joy of repetition. Another benefit is that when the foliage dies back it is more inconspicuous.

Once the flowering has finished you can remove the flower stem, or simply snap the finished flower off. This has two advantages; the first is this stops the plant focusing on seed production, so you can increase your bulbs, second it looks better!

Allow the foliage to remain until it has yellowed as this is when the bulbs are gathering energy and nutrients for next year’s blooms. Keep the plants relatively moist during this time, and add a little general purpose fertiliser. Daffodils appreciate Potash and slow release fertiliser brands which are low in nitrogen (so you get more flowers and less foliage). Don’t be too heavy handed, you won’t need much as they are not heavy feeders.

Daffodil ‘Avalanche’ is division 8, Tazetta.

Supplied as: Bulbs
Size: na