I read once that if there were a contest for the easiest, most dependable, most adaptable spring bulb, that daffodils would be the clear winner--hands down! They have many things going for them--they look great planted in formal beds, planted by themselves, or naturalized in your yards or woodland settings. And, once established, most daffodils will multiply year after year! There are literally hundreds of varieties of daffodils--which are grouped by flower shape, number of stems, and their parentage--large cup, small cup, double cup, split corona, butterfly, and multi-flowered. They look best planted in clumps of 5, 7,10 or more, and look great planted among other spring-flowering plants such as bleeding heart, primrose, and grape hyacinths. They are also great companions for hostas and daylilies, which can hide their fading foliage. Plant in cool weather in the fall, before the ground freezes, in well-drained soil. Plant in full sun, but they also will grow in shade, especially if it's under a deciduous tree, which will leaf out after they have bloomed. I use a handful of granular fertilizer when planting, mixed in good with the soil, and plant at a depth of 3x's their size--deeper in sandy soils and more shallow in clay soils. If dry in fall, keep the area watered. One thing that's neat about daffodils is that deer and mice don't bother them. Let foliage yellow after they bloom, which feeds the bulbs for the next year's bloom. These collages are not only from my yard, but from my sisters--whose house I visited last spring. It was amazing--I counted over 50 varieties of daffodils!
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