August 22 “flower of the hour”

August 22nd is Daffodil Day in Australia. They are upside down so their Spring flowers are in August and September. Around the world, daffodils are associated with cancer as a symbol of hope and courage-the first flower of spring giving hope for renewal.

My first book on Daffodils would be “A Book of Garden Flowers” by Margaret McKenny and Edith F. Johnson, published 1946. This is a pretty book, one of three in their series, that has nice descriptions of flowers, along with colored drawings.

My second book has been a good resource for many topics. It is “Myths and Legends of Flowers, Trees, Fruits, and Plants” by Charles M. Skinner, published 1911. In the book there is a great story of Narkissos (Daffodils are Narcissus plants). While he had won the affections of Echo, he did not love her back. In despair she faded to a voice, and one can still hear her calling, sadly in waste places. But Narkissos had his punishment; having seen his own reflection in a spring, he was lured back to lie on its brink for hours, admiring the face that he saw there. He too, then wastes away, and his body is transformed into a flower leaning over the pond.

Another book for our flower is “Small Gardens for Small Gardeners” or “What Little Hands can do with Plants” by Lillian C. Flint, published 1910. This rather rare book has advice to teach young gardeners about growing plants and bulbs themselves.

On flower bulbs (Tulips, Hyascinth and Daffodils) the author says “Ruskin calls them domed palaces with ivory walls, within which are sleeping princesses. These princesses live a life quite free from worldly cares and dangers, in their subterranean houses, ignorant of things in general, but perfectly formed and beautiful when brought out.” (I will, on another day, have a long talk about John Ruskin and books.)

The author then explains that “twenty-cents worth of bulbs will often give from thirty to forty stalks with four or five flowers on each, and the pleasure of any child is unbounded when he (or she) sees the graceful stalks nod and bend.”

Not only are children excited about planting bulbs and seeing the wonderful early spring daffodils, but adults too. Last fall, my wife and I for the first time planted tulips, hyascinth, and of course Daffodils. They were beautiful this last spring. These are the Daffodil bulbs that we harvested back out, to re-plant later in the fall. We also have more tulips and hyascinth bulbs, ready for re-planting.

All gave us more bulbs than we planted the year before. We are excited for this fall because we are increasing the amount of “Domed Ivory Palaces” in our garden, and to then await the return of our “Spring Princesses.”

Hope everyone has a daffo-dill-ightful day! Thanks for reading.