Daffodils
by Anthony Evans, Head Volunteer Gardener at Hereford Cathedral, UK.
"Daffodils,
That come before the swallow dares,
And take the winds of March with beauty;" -Shakespeare
His words come alive in the Garden at Hereford Cathedral, where "February Gold," a dainty yet resilient variety of daffodil, blooms. This charming flower, with its pure gold petals, stands valiantly against the chill and bluster of early spring, truly embodying beauty and bravery. Known as the Lent Lily, the daffodil traditionally opens in the UK on Ash Wednesday and fades by Easter—a brief yet poignant bloom cycle captured poetically by A.E. Housman in A Shropshire Lad:
THE LENTEN LILY
'Tis spring; come out to ramble
The hilly brakes around,
For under thorn and bramble
About the hollow ground
The primroses are found.
And there's the windflower chilly
With all the winds at play,
And there's the Lenten Lily
That has not long to stay
And dies on Easter day.
And since till girls go maying
You find the primrose still,
And find the windflower playing
With every wind at will,
But not the daffodil.
Bring baskets now, and sally
Upon the spring's array,
And bear from hill and valley
The daffodil away
That dies on Easter day.
This fleeting schedule is a challenge for daffodils, as weather unpredictability and the varying dates of Easter seldom align. (Meanwhile, in Charlotte, daffodils are often finishing their bloom by Easter, due to warmer spring weather at our lower latitude.)
Daffodils trace their scientific name to Greek mythology, where the tale of Narcissus unfolds. A youth entranced by his reflection in a pond, Narcissus pined away, and from the place of his death sprang the daffodil, forever linked to themes of beauty and transience.
These perennial blooms, including daffodils, jonquils, criniums and narcissi, all belong to the Amaryllis family and are a type of lily. They are not only deer-resistant but also available in a stunning variety of yellow, pink, or white combinations. (At Sutton Grange just 4 miles from the Cathedral in the early 20th century lived Robert and Sarah Backhouse who were plant breeders and in 1923 they presented the world with the first pink daffodil, which they called 'Mrs. R. O. Backhouse'.
Dependable and easy to cultivate, they thrive with minimal care: a sprinkle of bone meal in mid-February, and a dose of fertilizer after blooming but before the leaves yellow. Their bulbs multiply each year, offering ample opportunities for replanting and expanding their cheerful presence. (There is also the Lenten Rose, a hellebore from the buttercup family—shade-loving and winter hardy.)
So, as the Lenten season unfolds, embrace the daffodils’ ephemeral charm—and expect more lilies to dazzle soon for Easter.
04/06/25