Cotehele's special daffodil varieties
Cotehele estate holds a variety of daffodils, ranging from tiny multi-flowered tête-à-têtes, which often appear early in the season, to the ruffled petals of the so-called butter and eggs. There’s so much diversity in the colour, petal shape and size.
Many of the seedlings are supplied by local daffodil grower Dan du Plessis, but some varieties date to the 17th century. Most are 19th-century hybrids, the surviving remnants of a major flower industry that once thrived along the Tamar valley.
History of daffodils at Cotehele
The Tamar Valley has been home to daffodil growing for centuries. The warm, wet climate and steep, south-facing banks of the river catch the early spring sunshine, meaning crops arrive earlier than the rest of the country.
In the past, smallholders grew fruit, flowers and vegetables in small plots known as market gardens. Early daffodil varieties included Golden Harvest and Fortune. Bulbs were planted by hand and the flowers were picked and packed for sale by local families and communities.