Daffodil combos
By: Garden Gate staff
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Springtime combos
Daffodils — so simple to plant and so easy-growing. The only hard part is deciding what to pair them with! Just ahead are three combos that celebrate this early spring bloomer by adding rich color and contrast. Make space for your favorite, buy bulbs, and you’ll be ready to plant come fall. But don’t forget these important tips for your daffs:
- Always plant before the ground freezes in fall — this way, roots have enough time to get established.
- Plant at a depth of three times the bulb’s height and two bulb widths apart.
- Once the blooms finally fade, bulbs prefer to stay dry.
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Early blooming pair
Talk about early to rise — cyclamineus comes up despite snow and ice! Pair it with winter aconite for a dense surrounding of low-growing foliage and bright yellow blooms.
A – Daffodil (Narcissus cyclamineus) Bulb; golden yellow trumpet and very reflexed yellow petals in late winter to early spring; full sun to part shade; 5 to 8 in. tall, plant 10 to 15 bulbs per sq. ft.; cold zones 4 to 8, heat zones 8 to 1
B – Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) Tuber; bright yellow cup-shaped blooms; comes up in late winter, sometimes through snow; full sun to part shade; 2 to 3 in. tall, plant 15 to 20 tubers per sq. ft.; cold zones 4 to 7, heat zones 7 to 1
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Weather-resistant couple
Daffodils play well with early spring annuals like these pretty pansies. Both plants thrive in cool weather and even handle late cold snaps.
A – Daffodil (Narcissus ‘Marieke’) Bulb; long-blooming yellow flowers with darker yellow trumpet in early to midspring; full sun to part shade; 18 to 24 in. tall, plant 4 to 5 bulbs per sq. ft.; cold zones 4 to 8, heat zones 8 to 1
B – Pansy (Viola Penny™ Red Blotch) Tender perennial; large dark red blooms with a maroon blotch; full sun to part shade; 4 to 6 in. tall and wide; cold zones 5 to 8, heat zones 12 to 1
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Cool contrast trio
A sure way to highlight the white and pale-yellow petals of the ‘Minnow’ daffodil is to add cool color contrast. The ‘Blue Jacket’ hyacinth has a heavenly fragrance, too!
A – Daffodil (Narcissus ‘Minnow’) Bulb; fragrant midspring flowers with yellow cup and white or yellow petals; full sun to part shade; 8 to 10 in. tall, plant 10 to 15 bulbs per sq. ft.; cold zones 4 to 9, heat zones 9 to 1
B – Siberian squill (Scilla siberica) Bulb; tiny down-facing, star-shaped blue flowers in early spring; full sun to part shade; 3 to 6 in. tall, plant 10 to 15 bulbs per sq. ft.; cold zones 2 to 8, heat zones 8 to 1
C – Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Blue Jacket’) Bulb; dark blue petals have purple center stripe in midspring; full sun; 6 to 12 in. tall, plant 4 to 5 bulbs per sq. ft.; cold zones 4 to 8, heat zones 8 to 1
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