Our Daffodil-Lined Front Walk

THE FARMHOUSE

One of my favorite things about Spring is the daffodils we planted along our front walkway. Every year in late April and early May they bloom and bring a cheery, we-made-it-through-winter-and-here’s-your-colorful-reward vibe to the front of the house. Today I wanted to share some photos of our daffodil-lined front walk and pass along some tips and resources for anyone wanting to do something similar.

These are not your grandmother’s daffodils (although I do love the classic varieties!). I selected four of my favorite new-er daffodil varieties in delicate creams, whites, and yellows. But there are SO many beautiful new varieties of bulbs available and it was really hard to narrow it down to just four varieties. Every year I dream about adding more, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Here are the four varieties we selected for our front walk…

I bought all of these bulbs through Johnny’s Selected Seeds, pre-ordering them in the Spring for an early Fall delivery and planting. The four varieties are Replete, Acropolis, Obdam, and Tahiti. These are all double-flowered type daffodils and perennials that grow best in full to part sun in zones 3-7. They flower in early Spring. Daffodils are really (really!) easy to grow and make great cut flowers (especially the acropolis!).

Here’s some info, tips, and resources for growing daffodils (aka narcissus)…

how to plant daffodils

Daffodils are easily planted in the fall, when soil temps are 55 degrees or cooler and ideally 5-6 weeks before the ground freezes. To get a long row of them like we did here, dig a long trench about 4x the bulb height deep and 6” wide. Add a bit of compost to the bottom of the whole if you have it and moisten the soil. Bulbs should be placed upright, 1-6” apart, and at the same depth. The wider spacing the more room there is for the bulbs to multiply. Cover with soil and water immediately. Water regularly until the ground freezes.

Think about bloom time

To get everything blooming at once, you should stick with either early or late daffodil varieties. Johnny’s has a handy guide to pick daffodils based on bloom time or you can order a mix of early blooming daffodils or late blooming daffodils. Or you could mix early and late throughout the planting to get a longer bloom time. I tried to get an ombre look with my daffodils, blocking the varieties, but I wish I had planted them all mixed instead.

harvest and vase life

Many daffodils have long stems, perfect for cut flowers, and will last 4+ days in a vase. The trick is to pull the flower gently at the base of the stem and avoid taking any leaves (the plants need them for the next year’s bloom). You can also cut the stems, but be prepared for extra sap.

Can you arrange daffodils with other flowers?

Ever notice that daffodils are usually in an arrangements all by themselves? That’s because the sap they excrete can be toxic to other flowers. So If you do plan to do a mixed bouquet, make sure to let the cut daffodils sit alone in water for 24 hours to release their toxins before adding them to a bouquet.

What do do with spent blooms

After all the daffodils have bloomed and withered, I deadhead and then a little while later, mow over the plants. That’s the benefit of planting them right in with the grass, rather than a bed. Just be sure to wait to mow until the leaves are browning so the plants have enough time to manufacture all the energy they need for next year’s blooms.