Daffodils
The RHS gardens showcase a wide selection of daffodils (Narcissus), surely the most popular and most conspicuous of spring-flowering bulbs. At Wisley, areas of special interest include both the Trials Field and the adjacent section of the Arboretum with its mass plantings of daffodils, while the Rock Garden Bank brims with naturalised bulbs.
Daffodil and Tulip Committee
Dating back to 1884, this Committee is a source of expertise for the RHS on daffodils and tulips. It is responsible for judging individual and group exhibits at the London Flower Shows. At Chelsea it judges individual exhibits, the group exhibits being judged by a Council-appointed panel. It is also responsible for selecting daffodils and tulips for assessment for Award of Garden Merit and, through a subcommittee, for judging the daffodil and tulip trials at Wisley.
For more information click here
Daffodils with Snowdrops and Tulips 2007-2008
This yearbook for those who grow and show daffodils, snowdrops and tulips is a collection of articles written by both amateur and professional growers. Articles on all three genera include a symposium on recent daffodil seedlings, snowdrop cultivation under glass, and alpine tulips, as well as an introduction to the Nerine and Amaryllid Society.
Three sample articles can be viewed here:
Botrytis in tulips by
Marjan de Boer and Ernst van den Ende (Adobe Acrobat pdf 181KB)
Snowdrops at the RHS Shows in 2007 by Alan Leslie (Adobe Acrobat pdf 300KB)
Wisley daffodil trials by Sue Drewn (Adobe Acrobat pdf 304KB)
Other articles include book reviews and show reports from around the world.
Buy Daffodils with Snowdrops and Tulips 2007-2008 online from the Wisley Shop
To view Adobe Acrobat pdf documents you will need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader. We strongly recommend that you download the latest version to prevent problems viewing the documents. This is available free from the Adobe website. Click on the logo to go to the website.
Registration
The RHS is the International Cultivar Registration Authority for daffodils and publishes the International Daffodil Register and Classified List (1998).
Awards
At the London Flower Shows and at Chelsea, plants are assessed by the Daffodil and Tulip Committee for the RHS exhibition awards - First Class Certificate (FCC), Award of Merit (AM) and Certificate of Preliminary Commendation (PC).
Plants are assessed for the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM) in the course of trials at Wisley.
RHS trials
RHS trials at Wisley include a semi-permanent trial of daffodils, with stocks periodically updated as new cultivars are introduced.
Rosewarne Collection of daffodils
With the closing of the Rosewarne Experimental Horticulture Station in Cornwall, a significant collection of daffodil cultivars was passed to Wisley, including many dating from before the Second World War. These are planted mainly on the eastern periphery of the Trials Field.
Links
Further reading
Daffodils are just one topic covered by the Society's monthly journal for Members, The Garden, and recent articles of interest are listed below. The latest thinking from the best minds in horticulture today is to be found in the RHS journal, The Plantsman. Some recent relevant articles are suggested here.
Bailes, C. 1996, March. Naturalising narcissi at Rosemoor. The Garden (RHS) 121(3): 146-149.
Dalton, J. 1997, March. From banks to bulbs. The Garden (RHS) 122(3): 156-159.
Harvey, B. & D. Nelson. 2000. The potential for micropropagation of Narcissus. The New Plantsman 7(1): 55-61.
Nicholl, R. 1998, April. Heralds of spring. The Garden (RHS): 123(4): 266-269.
Pearce, J. 1995, September. Planting and potting daffodils. The Garden (RHS) 120(9): 544-546.
Rees, A. & G. Hanks. 1996. Flowering date variation in Narcissus. The New Plantsman 3(4): 244-248.
Wisley Staff. 1999, October. Problem profiles: Large Narcissus bulb fly. The Garden (RHS): 124(10): 784-785.
Wisley Staff. 1998, December. Problem profiles: Narcissus basal rot. The Garden (RHS): 123(12): 864-865.