an inquiry about daffodils received by the ADS Exec Dir via the ADS website

Friends, I have received permission to re-post this message to our Daffnet resource, from Shirley Jones.  If you can provide feedback or assistance to Shirley, please respond to her direct at the email address she lists at the very last.  Thanks for any help you can give her.

Jaydee Atkins Ager                                                               

Executive Director

PO BX 522     Hawkinsville, GA      31036-0522

The American Daffodil Society, Inc.

www.daffodilusa.org    www.daffodilusastore.org    www.daffseek.org

 

From: Shirley Jones [mailto: title=]
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2012 10:40 AM
To:  title=
Subject: RE: King Alfred Daffodils…

 

Good morning,  I am writing to you regarding the purchase of  ‘original’ King Alfred Daffodils.  I was given your email address by Sharon McDonald, RHS in Surrey, UK 

 I can find any number of nurseries selling King Alfred daffs, but, as I understand, the ‘original’ KA’s are no longer sold commerically, but have been ‘developed’ and hybridized out of existence. 

The only hope of finding the original KA’s is to find an old planting and beg a few bulbs, as I have been advised.  I planted them in the 60’s at my home up north, so know them to be great at naturalizing. 

The newer daffs have blooms so large and stems so weak, they ‘bite the dust’ at first breeze and nearly all die out in a year or two, as tulips do.  I’ve just replanted two beds of those types of daffs after 4 yrs. 

This would never have happened with KA daffs.  Is that why they’ve been nearly bred out of existence, to quote one website? 

I’ve been gardening for over 70 yrs now and would so much like to find a few ‘original’ KA’s before I have to give up gardening altogether. 

At present, I am planting Dutch Masters, but am not pleased that they do not multiply as readily as the old KA daffs.  If you know a source of the ‘original’ KA’s, I would appreciate any contact info.   Shirley Jones,  Tillsonburg, ON      title=