In A Vase On Monday – Early Signals
Each Monday Cathy at Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase of materials gathered from our gardens.
The past week brought some lovely sunny days with temperatures reaching into the 60s and even 70s° F. but the narcissus are not convinced winter is done. Daffodils have been peeking above ground since before Christmas. Recently tentative yellow buds became noticeable. There were a few early scouts, which I plucked to share with you this Monday.
In A Vase On Monday – Early Signals
The miniature Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’ were perfectly suited to this tiny vase, but the long stems of the two Narcissus ‘King Alfred’ on the right were trimmed considerably.
Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’
Narcissus ‘King Alfred’
Materials
Flowers
Narcissus ‘King Alfred’
Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’
Foliage
Container
Runner vase, 2-inch high blue bottles
In A Vase On Monday – Early Signals
Happy Valentine’s Day! Thanks to our host Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for providing this opportunity to share our vases. Visit her to discover what garden surprises she and others are enjoying this week.
pbmGarden 
I love those little yellow faces, and those blue containers are spectacular. Your containers always hold their own with your flowers for best of show.
Thanks Judy! It’s 28F. this morning and frosty. Glad I cut the first daffodils to enjoy inside. I love that little vase too–a gift from a friend several years ago. The 3 little bottles are wired together. The package said “hand-crafted” in Michigan.
‘King Alfred’ used to be the standard daffodil. We could purchase big bags of them (even though they do not reliably naturalize here). They have been unavailable for a few years. Another cultivar that looks just like them is instead available, but I do not like the change. Fortunately, I no longer crave any more daffodil. If I do in the future, I may need to look for ‘King Alfred’ online.
These are at least twenty years old and were sold as ‘King Alfred’ but I have read once ‘King Alfred’ became scarce starting in the 1950s, other types were marketed under that name, so I can’t be positive.
The 1950s were a long time ago! Such a scarcity would have played out before my time. If so, what I know as ‘King Alfred’ could be imposters! Well, to me, the modern substitute is indistinguishable from the real thing anyway.
See Noteworthy characteristics here: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=251099&isprofile=0&gen=Narcissus
Oh my! That is more information than I needed! It would be nice to believe that what I know as ‘King Alfred’ is the real thing. I suppose it does not matter. To me, they all look the same, and I like them regardless of their real name. I like the other cultivars as well, and really do not bother to distinguish them from the older sorts. (Besides, I really should try new things and other cultivars.)
Ah, a sight to gladden the heart! ❤
I’m glad. Happy Valentine’s!
❤
It really feels like the start of a new season when we start seeing daffodils and narcissi again – I wonder how long it will be before we have temperatures in the 60s and 70s again…!! I love the simplicity of your contribution today, showing just how easy it is to bring joy and pleasure into our lives – the essence of IAVOM. A male friend brought some daffodils and tulips round last week, ostensibly for the Golfer, who has not been well, but for me really – it seems a long time since I bought spring flowers when they first appeared in the shops, a practice I stopped when IAVOM started!
Yes, it does feel like the beginnings, although I know some of you have been enjoying snowdrops and other treasures all along. Sending best wishes for your Golfer. Hope the thoughtful gift of daffodils and tulips cheered you both up.
They’re sweet flowers. I always look forward to the arrival of the daffodils with their trumpet-shaped petals (as opposed to the earlier-flowering paperwhites, although I enjoy those too). Even though we had VERY warm temperatures last week, I’ve only seen 3 daffodils here so far.
Happy Valentine’s Day, Susie!
I love paperwhites but never grow them. Hope your temperatures moderate a bit. We’re back in cold now –45 and sunny but 25 for a low!
Oh it’s always so heartwarming to see daffodils out in flower – here the first ‘Tete-a-Tete’ have just started to show over this last week. I like your trio of blue vases.
Thanks Anna. More daffodils are opening every day. Seems once they start it all goes quickly.
Wow daffs and such warm temps…..bliss!
We’re back to 25F this morning! But spring is coming…
Warming up here this week so I am excited
Lovely to see your first daffys. A bit of welcome spring sunshine.
Thanks. Yes the first daffodils make optimists of all of us!
Susie, what a wonderful composition and the blue vases are perfect. Happy Really early spring! oh, Valentines..
Thanks Amy. It’s funny how a vase goes unused for a long time, then suddenly it’s the only one suitable for the flowers at hand.
A joyful sight! And the combination of yellow and blue is always wonderful too. Not long till spring now! 😃
Thanks Cathy! The first daffodils are a reassuring promise of spring.
A beautiful way of displaying the daffodils. In our Irish garden we used to have the first daffs in flower right after Christmas.
Thanks Annette. Early daffodils are delightful. At the entrance to my neighborhood someone planted one daffodil bulb years ago. There is now a little clump that blooms very early, way before mine are open–a bright sign of spring for the whole neighborhood.