Friday, April 17, 2009

DOUBLE DELIGHT

Deer, squirrels and rabbits love to snack on crocus and tulips.
Daffodils however aren’t on anyone’s menu.
Every Fall after viewing the latest offerings from Dutch bulb importers, I add more varieties of these spring-flowering gems to my garden.

(Multi-flowering Geranium daffodils)

Last Autumn I planted about 60 double-flowering types.
(Ice King)

This week, the flowers burst open with spectacular results.
(Tahiti)

(A few are mysteries. This beauty is neither pink enough to be Replete nor orange enough to be Orangerie but it's lovely.)

(Blonde Beauty is my favorite. It looks perfect in the garden or in a vase)

Not every one of the varieties I ordered looked exactly like its catalog photo, but all added visual diversity to my garden.
(This split corona one doesn't look like any I ordered but it's gorgeous)

One of my favorite new additions is 'Decoy'. It isn't a double but its dark red-orange trumpet color is striking!

I’m not the only one enjoying the garden. Yesterday, I had a party for my mom’s 91st birthday.
The weather was lovely and we spent time outside. Instead of pin the tail on the donkey, we played can you find the asparagus. Winners got to pick their own.

The girls are happy campers, too.
They love picking insects out of the creeping phlox!

7 comments:

Elyse said...

hi barbara,

beautiful photos. i don't think i have ever seen all of those varieties of daffodils. inspiring!

happy birthday to your mom! how wonderful.

xo

Unknown said...

WOW! Those photos of your pretty flowers are so beautiful! Happy Birthday to your Mom! How sweet that you had a party for her.

Your hens look very cute! Lucky you to get fresh eggs! :)

NeereAnDear said...

I love daffodils... they are to me one of the first signs of spring.... I had no idea however there are double "delights" as you put it.... such beautiful flowers... hard to pick a favorite out of that immense array of beauties...

Your photos of them are quite stunning!! Cant wait to see the rest of your garden... I know their are more surprises in store for us...

On to mom!! Wow!! And Happy Birthday !! Amazing... seems like yesterday she had a birthday... cant believe its been a year

HUGS TO YOU AND HER
JO

Creations by Marie Antoinette and Edie Marie said...

I love the Ice King it is gorgeous,All your daffodils are.
And A Big Happy Birthday to your Mom!!!
XXOO Marie Antionette

THE HOME THAT LOVE BUILT said...

Hi Barbara,

All the pictures of the flowers are beautiful and deightful to view. Thanks for sharing.

Blessings,
Brook

FrenchGardenHouse said...

LOVE those daffodils.:) When I lived in Holland I lived across from a Daffodil grower, fields and fields of daffodils every spring.
I love that one with the different color (3d one).

You are a great gardener, and a great daughter! Happy Birthday to your Mom,

xo Lidy

Susan (Between Naps On The Porch.net) said...

Hi Barbara, Thanks soooo much for making my blog you Blog Du Jour today...I am truly honored! :-) You have a beautiful garden and I love your cute hens! Do they get to roam a bit in your garden? Have you ever read/heard P. Allen Smith talk about his hens and his neighbors...he has some funny stories! He calls his hens "moving garden art." :-)
Susan