Yes friends, there are still flowering daffodils in North America. Being a Louisiana gardener, I was thrilled to see blooming daffodils in mid April in Ohio during the convention this year as my season was long past. Then Minnesota friends teased us southerners with a mid-May convention that I couldn’t possibly attend. Unexpectedly, I found spring again. I’ve been vacationing on the Gaspe peninsula of northeastern Quebec, and daffodils, tulips, crabapples, etc, are still in flower! This area is surrounded by the St. Lawrence and north Atlantic. I was thrilled to find a few naturalized clumps of division 9 poet’s in Forillon National Park. Remember that poet’s don’t bloom, at least not twice, in Louisiana, and you might understand what a thrilling experience this was for a true daffodil lover. I saw mostly divisions 9 and 1 in the lovely home landscapes.
I also want to recommend to all to put Montreal Botanical Gardens on your bucket list. It is heralded as the 2nd largest in the world, and the staff fluctuates between 250 and 500 throughout the year. Oh my! Other gardens that I’ve toured don’t come close to the perfection and grandeur exhibited at MBG. This garden is hosting an international exhibition of planted topiary design forms that are installed using giant cranes, dozens of workers, and thousands of plants with huge figures in themed arrangements. These photos were taken on June 10 for MBG and June 15 for the blooming Narcissus.
The last of the poets and jonquils just folded in the two inch rain yesterday. We still have a few flowers in vases in the house.