Invest in Daffodils: The Best Bulb for Long-Lasting, Low-Maintenance Spring Color

As a founding employee of Gardener's Supply, I wore many hats over the years. Now I run Johnnie Brook Creative. My Richmond, VT gardens include a large vegetable garden, seasonal greenhouse, cutting garden, perennial gardens, rock garden, shade garden, berry plantings, container plants, and a meadow garden. There's no place I'd rather be than in the garden.

Over the years, a small clump of daffodils becomes a substantial drift.

Like many gardeners, I'm feeling a budget pinch, making me think twice about garden spending.

As summer ends, fall-planted bulbs tempt: tulips, hyacinths, alliums, lilies. If you need to justify this year's bulb investment, I suggest: daffodils.

Daffodils deliver—by far—more flowers for longer with less care than any other bulbs. They thrive almost anywhere, return yearly in ever-greater numbers. Over time, even 20 bulbs become a swath of 100+ blooms.

Flower breeders constantly develop new temptations. Daffodil breeders have been particularly successful with new varieties in diverse heights, colors, forms, and bloom times. No matter how many you have, there's always a new one to add.

Daffodils are well-suited to "naturalizing"—planting bulbs in natural-looking drifts.

Another advantage: you don't need to squeeze them into flower beds. In fact, daffodils are best planted anywhere but flower beds. Years ago I put daffodils in perennial borders and have been digging them out since. They give early color, but multiplying bulbs and messy spent foliage steal space from other perennials.

Where to plant them? Naturalized in the landscape: clumps or drifts appearing randomly placed—as if nature did the planting. Plant in groups of 5+. Scatter under shade trees, in shrub borders, along fences, in woodlands, near ponds, in meadows, by the mailbox, even in the lawn.

Plant bulbs in October/November, at least 6" deep (8" better). Cluster small groups, keeping bulbs ~6" apart.

Naturalizing mixes save money and often contain several varieties—different colors/styles extend the season. My few hundred mixed daffodils planted 20 years ago are now many thousands.

Though I don't need more, trying new varieties is fun. I limit myself to a handful of bulbs in 2-3 new varieties. This year: Border Beauty and White Marvel; $25 yielding hundreds of flowers through retirement.

Invest in a brighter future. Invest in daffodils!

P.S. If you want daffodils in flower beds, miniatures like Minnow and Baby Boom make good companions.