Help selecting additional varieties which naturalize well please

17 years ago

Hello:

I looked at the recommendations for daffodils which naturalize well on the American Daffodil Society site.

I am in southeast Georgia, US, Zone 8b.

I conducted a DaffSeek to determine blooming season and color.

I would like to create drifts at my farm which will have varieties which will produce the longest, continuous bloom season with the same color.

Below is my research thus far. Please provide your suggestions to "fill in the holes".

I also thought about planting companions which will bloom through the summer maybe ..... glads? other suggestions?? OR maybe with the Very Late, Extra Late and Fall or Autumn Blooming maybe I don't need additional companions?

DaffSeek organizes the Bloom periods as follows:

Very Early

Early

Mid-Season

Late

Very Late

Extra Late

Fall or Autumn Blooming

YELLOW:

Very Early --- Unsurpassable --- Y

Very Early --- Peeping Tom --- Y

Early --- Tete-a-Tete --- Y

Early --- Delibes --- Y

Early --- Spellbinder --- Y

Mid-Season --- Carlton --- Y

Late --- Scarlet Gem --- Y

Late --- Viking --- Y

Very Late --- ??? --- Y

Extra Late --- ??? --- Y

Fall or Autumn Blooming --- ??? --- Y

WHITE:

Season --- Variety --- Color

Early --- Barrett Browning --- WWY

Early --- Ice Follies --- W

Early --- Flower Record --- W

Mid-Season --- Mount Hood --- W

Late --- Geranium --- W

Late --- Cheerfulness --- W

Very Late --- ??? --- W

Extra Late --- ??? --- W

Fall or Autumn Blooming --- ??? --- W

Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

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Comments (5)

Donna
17 years ago
I think you are somewhat confused about daffodils. While it is true that there are early to late bloomers, this refers to the daffodil season, not a calendar year. In my zone 7b-8A garden (east central Mississippi), my earliest blooms are Narcissus tazetta, Grand Primo, which can occur as early as the week of Christmas and the latest bloomers are usually finished by late April. Because our springs can heat up early and unexpectedly, I have found that my early and mid bloomers last longer and give me far more pleasure. The late ones bloom out sometimes within a week or so and then their foliage hangs around seemingly FOREVER. Unfortunately, almost all white bloomers are also late bloomers.

You are obviously very interested. I recommend that you get a copy of Scott Ogden's "Garden Bulbs for the South". He will de-mystify this for you and you can depend on his recommendations. You will find that gardening, including bulb gardening is very different in the south, and that although books written for the north can be helpful, many of the things they teach and say simply are not true or do not work in our climate.
milieu_serene
Original Author
17 years ago
Ahhhhhh!!!! Thank you so much for enlightening me. I really appreciate the book recommendation also. I'll see if I can locate it locally, if not, then online.

I would like to do some lawn/tree line borders.

I am also trying to figure out if it is feasible to create a design with flowering plants which will show a flowering design throughout most or all the year.

I know daffodils are beautiful late winter to early spring producers. Our glads bloom from early spring until early summer but not sure how well they will work as companions.

This flower stuff is truly fascinating. Thank you again for your help.
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Donna
17 years ago
You definitely can have something flowering in your garden all year as far south as we live, but you don't want JUST bulbs. The key is to plant the right flowering shrubs, perennials, annuals, trees, AND bulbs all together. Here is a very condensed list of the plants I love best through my year.

January/February:
Hellebores
Camellias
Daffodils of various kinds
Sweet Olive

March/April
Redbuds
Dogwoods
Azaleas
pansies (from fall to now)

May/June
Daylilies
Shasta Daisies
Hydrangeas of various kinds
Gardenias
Roses

July/August
Crinums
Salvias
Summer annuals like zinnias, etc.
Durantas
More hydrangeas
Rain lilies

September/October
Helianthus
Cuphea
marigolds
ornamental grasses, especially Muhly grass
Encore Azaleas
TREES with gorgeous fall foliage

November/December
Sasanqua Camellias
Nandina domestica (berries)
Hollies (berries)
Pansies
Evergreens of all kinds
milieu_serene
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks so much for the list.

This is what I have planted from your list so far in different areas around the yard.

January/February:
Camellias

March/April:
Redbuds
Azaleas

May/June:
Daylilies
Roses
Red and Green fountain grass
small wildflower mix garden (sorta on your list)
Gladiolas (not on condensed list)

July/August:
Crepe Myrtles (not on your condensed list)
small wildflower mix garden (sorta on your list)

September/October:
Encore Azaleas

November/December:
Sansaqua Camellia

As you can see, I still have an awful lot of planting to do.

I don't think I gave you the link to where we are building the house. The link below will take you to some albums I have on Picasweb online.

Debbie (wife) and I also have a few pictures up on Facebook of pictures of our progress in putting up the hardiplank on the house. Look me up on Facebook. Joel Williams joel at joelwilliamslaw dot com.

Thanks again for your help and have a wonderful day.

Joel

Here is a link that might be useful: Joel's Online Photo Album of farm pics
aunt-tootie
17 years ago
Hello mileau serene,

I live in southwest Georgia 8b and grow a variety of daffodils. You might be interested in reading "Daffodils in Florida: A field Guide to the Coastal South" by Linda M. Van Beck and Sara L. Van Beck. They provide a list of daffodil varieties that grow well in south Georgia and Florida.

I have "daffies" blooming from December until late March and include: Chinese Sacred Lily, early Louisiana jonquilla, Campernelli, Silver chimes, Thalia, Carlton, Geranium, Erlicheer, Sweetness, Ceylon, Barrett Browning, Kedron, Quail and Bridal Crown...just to name a few. I have more varieties planted, but these are the daffies that have done the best in my garden. You might want to join the Florida Daffodil Society...they have a bulb sell every year and you can meet other daffie lovers.