Golden trumpets of springtime

William Wordsworth put it best: ‘If one daffodil is worth a thousand pleasures, then one is too few.’ As we start to pull away from winter, the simple joy of this yellow trumpet flower will brighten our spring days.

The wild daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) is an incredibly hardy and beautiful flower. It grows across the British Isles, from the Isle of Wight (where it is harvested in early February) to the famous bulb fields of Angus and Fife (where it blooms as late as May). The latest I’ve ever seen daffodils flower was on midsummer’s day at the Cairn o’ Mount in Aberdeenshire.

The daffodil originated on the Iberian Peninsula and has been known since ancient times. Many thousands of cultivars have been created. The bulb is poisonous to eat but it has other uses: it contains galantamine, a compound known to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s symptoms. Commercially grown bulbs in Wales (where it is the national flower, of course) are supplied to the pharma­ceutical industry for this purpose.

The National Trust for Scotland has some amazing places to see daffodils. Try Brodie Castle & Estate near Forres, which has a National Collection of daffodils; Branklyn Garden near Perth, where small botanical gems can be found amid the rock gardens; and Threave Garden near Dumfries, which is carpeted with blooms each spring. Many other Trust places also have fine displays of these golden flowers in their grounds, which are at their best as Easter approaches.