Daffodils

This is becoming an annual spring obsession now but its amazing how many you can clock up over the period March to May (none are in flower in February in Leeds, not even 'February Gold'). I only concern myself with those found in woods, on river banks, areas of waste ground, unmanaged churchyards and similar situations, deliberately steering clear of urban road verge plantings. Accordingly, I tend to find mainly the old tried and true cultivars that are tough as old boots, so largely pre-1940's or exceptionally pre-1970's. 'Oxford Gold' with a registration date of 2007 was a complete surprise this year, popping up in an obscure part of the churchyard after last years clearance of brambles.

Highlights from this years haul (with date of registration) include:

Actaea (<1919)                                            Aranjuez (1932)

                                                                                             Barrett Browning (1945)                           Bath's Flame (1913)

Beersheba (1923)                                        Dick Wilden (1962)

Carlton (1927)                                            Conspicuus (1869)

Delibes (1950)                                            Double Sir Watkin (1916)

Dutch Master (1948)                                   Emperor (1869)

Empress (1869)                                           Feu de Joie (1927)

Flower Drift (1966)                                    Flower Record (1943)

Fortissimo (1964)                                       Glenfarclas (1976)

Golden Harvest (1920)                               Gulliver (1927)

Ice Follies (1953)                                        Itzim (1982)

Jenny (1943)                                               Jetfire (1966)

Magnet (1931)                                            Maximus (1576)

Mount Hood (1938)                                    Oxford Gold (2007)

Pomona (1930)                                           Princeps (<1830)

Ptolemy (1921)                                           Sempre Avanti (1938)

Sir Watkin (<1868)                                     Spellbinder (1944)

Stella (<1869)                                             Sulphur Star (<1869)

White Lady (<1897)                                   White Lion (<1949)

Bleurgh

It had to happen sooner or later, but today was the day that I found a split corona daffodil (Narcissus agg.) in a wild setting. My feigned disgust is a little tongue in cheek as on its own merits its a brightly coloured and quirky flower, but lets be honest its not really what anyone wants from a daffodil.

This cultivar seems to be 'Cassata' which starts off bright yellow and then fades. I had always assumed this type of daffodil was a recent development. But the invaluable DaffSeek website states that it is a relatively old cultivar that was registered in 1963.

Stackhouse and Langcliffe (VC64)

With the weather forecast suggesting the west would be best on Saturday I headed over to Settle on the train to see what I could find. I had originally planned to head up to Winskill Stones, but going up Giggleswick Scar first it quickly became apparent that spring was not as far on as it is on my home patch to the east of Leeds. So I'll save the Stones for another day and regardless my meanderings soon went off plan with serendipitous results, including the discovery of Castlebergh Crag in Settle. Great views and some nice plants, including Wallflower (Erysimum cheiri), Alpine Currant (Ribes alpinum), and the pink-flowered form of Hybrid Bluebell (Hyacinthoides x massartiana). The latter very much a recurring theme of the day. But back to the subject of this post ...

The orange flowered form of Welsh Poppy (Meconopsis cambrica 'Aurantiaca') was lighting up verges in several locations. 

In Stackhouse I found this fine stand of Pheasant's-eye Daffodil (Narcissus poeticus subsp. recurvus). This subspecies is the last of the daffodils to flower, no doubt a reflection of its origins in Switzerland. It must pay to delay your flowering up there.

In and around the churchyard in Langcliffe there was the pink-flowered Hybrid Bluebell, a striking naturalised Lesser Periwinkle (Vinca minor 'Aureomarginata'), Scarce London-pride (Saxifraga x geum) and Spring Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum subsp. aestivum). 

Heading up onto the high ground above Langcliffe, the limestone turf was studded with Mountain Pansy (Viola lutea).

And then great views back towards Giggleswick Scar.

And finally, the surprise of the day and at a completely incongruous location, a mature tree of the rare Liljefor's Whitebeam (Sorbus x liljeforsii) in Old Plantation. No idea if it was planted or bird sown, but its been there a long time. The leaves of sterile side shoots had 6 free lobes, distinguishing it from the more usual (and in my experience more grey-green) Bastard Rowan (Sorbus x thuringiaca).

To Addingham and Back Again (VC64)

Time for a bit of a catch up on local news. Last week I took a trip over to Ilkley as I had always fancied a walk along the river towards Bolton Abbey, but had never quite made it. Spring was definitely springing in Wharfedale, but not as advanced as on my local patch. So I enjoyed a second final hurrah from the daffodils, while also being able to enjoy some of the species just starting to come into there own.

It was nice to see the thriving colony of Fairy Foxglove (Erinus alpinus) on Old Bridge, Ilkley. Far too early for flowers though.

(photo by Jerzy Opiola, Wikimedia Commons)

Not a rare plant, but I forget how prolific Few-flowered Garlic (Allium paradoxum var. paradoxum) is along the Wharfe. All those bulbs where there should be flowers.

A surprise find on a tree stump well away from gardens was Trailing Bellflower (Campanula poscharskyana), but this is not my first find of this species on an isolated river bank.

On the river bank at Addingham, and likely of planted origin, was Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides).

Moving up hill away from the river towards Langbar, I was surprised to find a Chameleon ... i.e. Sweet Spurge (Euphobia dulcis 'Chameleon'). The hedgerow along Langbar Lane also had the hybrid hawthorn Crataegus x subsphaerica (to be seen again later in the hedge bounding Ilkley golf course).

Another nice find on Langbar Lane was a particularly robust lush clump of Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage (Chrysosplenium alternifolium).

A rubbish photo but this odd Daffodil (Narcissus 'Pipit') lit up a shady beck bank at Nesfield. I'm not even going to try linking this to a named Daffodil species or hybrid! Google it for a better image.

Back towards Ilkley were Garden Solomon's-seal (Polygonatum x hybridum) and this striking, and very early into bloom this year, Broom (Cytisus scoparius subsp. scoparius f. andreanus).