Three for Thursday: Here Comes The Sun!

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter ... (more on that tomorrow) ... but here comes the sun in six-petaled splendor, shining bright and telling me that it is indeed all right.

Narcissus x intermedius 'Texas Star'
I posted last fall about my visit to the Arbor Gate in Tomball to hear Chris Wiesinger of Southern Bulb Company speak about heirloom bulbs for Southern gardeners.  His enthusiasm and experience convinced me that my need for such Texas tough plants was imperative. He only failed me in one respect: he didn't remind me that when they started blooming, I would be so enchanted that I would regret not planting MORE! 

I don't recognize this Narcissus!
I thought I had kept better records of what I bought and where I planted it.  I thought wrong.  This one is in an area where I thought I had planted only yellow bloomers.  I thought wrong again.  Anyone recognize it?

Narcissus tazetta orientalis 'Chinese Sacred Lily' (I think)

Little darlings, the ice has long since melted and while we've had so many gloomy days that it still feels like years since it's been clear, the smile is returning to my face and I hope to those of my fellow gardeners. 

Comments

Cindy, could that Narcissus be "Grand Primo Citroniere?" I am looking at Chris Wiesinger's book and that looks like it.
PS--LOVE his book!!!
Rose said…
So happy for you, Cindy--the sun is shining and you have daffodils! That's definitely cause for celebration. We have another winter storm moving in tonight with the possibility of half a foot of snow...sigh.
My Three for Thursday post is up..also with a somewhat unknown bloom. Well, I know it is one of two possibilities but it could be either. Why did I buy two so similar reticulata iris?
Gail said…
Three lovely beauties! How nice to have the sweet white surprise narcissus. gail
HolleyGarden said…
My daffodils just began to bloom today. It's so exciting to find a new bloom! I'm falling in love with bulbs - they are so persistent and consistent.
They are so cheery and darling. Wish I could help with the ID, but as they are Southern bulbs, I'm hopeless.
Annie in Austin said…
Whatever the names, it's good to see narcissus and daffodils blooming, Cindy. Some of my Grand Primos came from the Southern Bulb Company & they usually look a lot like your mysteries but not this year... frozen in bud.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose
Pam/Digging said…
What are your and Chris's top bulb picks, Cindy?
Cindy, MCOK said…
MT, maybe it is Grand Primo. If I'd go pick up my book, I could find out!

Rose, I hope the storm wasn't too hard on you. Your turn is coming for spring.

Leslie, when it comes to Iris, I have very little restraint and especially when it comes to blue or purple Louisiana Iris.

Gail, there are more of the surprise narcissus every day!

Holley, welcome to my corner of Katy! I'm in danger of becoming a bulb addict. Shall we form a society?

MMD, just looking at them brightens my day!

Annie, my Erlicheer suffered the same fate as your Grand Primos. Sigh. They were so gorgeous last year.

Pam, I know I took notes on Chris' talk back in September but I can't find them. Take a look at his website for his faves.
Bulb Hunter said…
Hi, all! Cindy wrote and asked for my help in the ID, but I had the flu and have been playing catch up ever since.

The pure white Narcissus in the picture is a common paperwhite, (Narcissus tazetta papyraceous). There are hundreds of un-named heirloom paperwhites, but this is a selection we offered for the first time named 'Ariel.'

LOVE the Texas Star (Narcissus x intermedius). Many daffodils have a hard time in Houston, but this is a hybrid between the tazetta bulbs that are in all of your shots (Narcissus tazetta) and jonquils (Narcissus jonquilla). The result is a jonquil smell and multiple blooming flower stalks, but the toughness of a tazetta to survive in Houston. You should begin to have an amazing, fragrant clump in a couple more years.

The Chinese sacred lily (Narcissus tazetta orientalis) looks great! The cup is a liter yellow than many normally have (a dark gold). Ours on the Southern Bulb farm were continually hit by freezes. They were originally collected around Houston, Austin, Galveston, etc, but just couldn't handle the cold north of Tyler. So, we tried another warm climate grower this year, and I think he had a slightly different selection than ours OR the camera didn't capture the gold. However, I planted some in Magnolia, TX and they also had a liter yellow. They will multiply and fill out even better soon!

Cindy, you have a wonderful garden! Were those herbs planted with your bulbs. That is one of my favorite combination plants with bulbs. Herbs remind me not to dig in that area during the summer, or at least dig shallow : )