Narcissus 'Jetfire', 'Velocity' & 'Canaliculatus'

Two stunning and very similar narcissus varieties  are the well known and widely available 'Jetfire' and the less well known 'Velocity'.  Atrocious weather has not affected the former in any meaningful way. They have withstood wind, hail, snow and ice. And that was just yesterday. 'Velocity' has the slightly larger flower and is just as long lasting although later than 'Jetfire'. Quite frankly the bright narcissus are needed to lift a dismal Spring. They have increased well.

Narcissus 'Canaliculatus' looks similar in size in the photographs but images can lie. It's a tiny flower, dainty and pretty.

Narcissus 'Altruist': early, sweet and long lasting

Narcissus 'Altruist'  was described in the catalogue as April flowering. Well it is despite having been in bloom since February. Perhaps the absolute freshness has gone out of the blooms, but it was photographed yesterday at 6.30pm on a gloomy day and it still evinces the colour of summer, a scare commodity this spring. Tall and elegant, they stand upright in the large containers for my clematis varieties. Indeed, they were planted as an afterthought after their original container disintegrated in last year's frost. I'd forgotten about them and suddenly in the February frosts and snow they were in flower, drooping dramatically until the temperatures rose and, like springy plastic, they jumped up to attention again. And I have not yet mentioned the sweet fragrance. The catalogue never mentioned it either. Descriptions vary. Some sellers declare it is non-fragrant, some fragrant. Mine are the latter variety of the variety. As long lasting as the snow that is falling on a dire Easter Monday.

Easter Sunday Narcissus

Compared with last year my narcissus are three weeks late. 'Swift Arrow' defies the weather. In close-up many of these narcissus look very similar. 'Swift Arrow' is taller, very upright and has a rich colour. It is not well known but worth the effort of a search.

When we went to Harlow Carr last weekend the variety that stood out, other than the ubiquitous 'Tete a Tete', was 'Peeping Tom'.  The bulbs have increased well since last year and with their long, inquisitive noses, they compel the eyes. They are a must have.

'Trena' is another favourite. Its distinctive contrasting colours and sturdy quality allows it to stand up to the cold and deluge of water that has cascaded upon it these past few days. A stunner. Three fabulous varieties so far.  The snowdrop season has ended but there are compensations. Usually it's the weather. Not this year.

'Perky' by name, perky by nature. The contrasting colours of this variety make for a fresh sight on a cold Easter day. We are again moving down in the size scale. Again this is a bulb that increases well. Again it takes the eye.