Spring Flowering Daffodil Bulbs Planting Companions

When it comes to planting your spring bulbs one of the first questions is ‘what bulbs and other plants should and can we plant together’? Below is a list of the most common spring bulbs and what plants look great next to them

Narcissus ‘Tete a Tete’: these dwarf daffodil bulbs have miniature yellow trumpets and flowers from February to March. Some companions include: Pulmonaria saccharata ‘Excalibur’ Crocus ‘Flower Record’, Tulip ‘Persian Pearl, Scilla and Muscari armeniacum.

Narcissus ‘Golden Harvest’: this is your typical yellow daffodil, with large yellow trumpet and reaching a height of 60cm. Some companions for Narcissus Golden Harvest include:  Carex trifida, Euonymus emerald & gold, Sedum spathulifolium Cape Blanco, Berberis thubergii golden glow, Forget-my-not (Myosotis alpestis) and all types of hyacinth.

Narcissus  ‘Finland’: Similar to Narcissus ‘February Silver’ and ‘little beauty’, this Daffodil has creamy white petals and a yellow trumpet centre. A tall daffodil around 60cm in height. These two tone daffodils look great when planed enmass and when planted in groups among drifts of other daffodils such as ‘Golden Harvest’ Some good plants to plant along-side include: Winter flowering Heathers (Erica), Muscari armeniacum, Pulmonaria officinalis ‘Blue Mist’, Trillium ‘Sessile’, Tulipa ‘Black Knight’ Ophipogons nigrescens, Helleborus ‘Blue lady’ and Euphorbia amygdaloides purpurea.

Narcissus ‘Victorious’ These delicate and very pretty daffodils are similar to Narcissus ‘geranium’ and Narcissus ‘Aectaea’ Creamy petals with a short yellow inner trumpet with an outer orange rim. One way to combine plants with these daffodils is to pick up on the orange inner rim and plant orange and rusty coloured plants close by.  Some plants that look great when planted with these bulbs include: Acer ‘Bloodgood’, Epimedium tricolour, Phormium Bronze Baby, Kerria Japonica, Forsythia x intermedia and carex tenuissima.

Narcissus ‘Red Devon’ This is a great daffodil to use if your bored of the standard looking ones. Similar to Narcissus ‘Grand Soleil d’Or’ this daffodil has an orange centre. Plant these in combination with other daffodils such as ‘Finland’ or “Golden Harvest’ or plant amongst other plants which, again highlight their yellow centre including: Epimedium tricolour, Phormium Bronze Baby, Kerria Japonica, Forsythia x intermedia and Carex tenuissima.

Daffodil will of course look great in any setting in which they sit, but to get the most out of them some thought should be put towards their companion as with any time you plant a shrub, flower or tree.

Plant daffs on blocks, clumps, drifts or plant them naturally in lawns, along drives or hedgerows. There is truly no end to the uses and ideas that daffodils can be put to.