Spring Daffodils at Ightham

Daffodils

The arrival of spring is a time of joy for most of us and Ightham Mote is one of the best places in Kent to see daffodils and explore the delights of the emerging foliage and flower colours and birdsong throughout spring.

It is wonderful to see daffodils and other flowers coming out and bursting into colour, along with the fresh green leaves and sounds of birds bringing new life across the garden.  

Generally mid-March and early April is the time to see the bright yellow daffodils in the orchard and elsewhere, overlapping with the hellebores and last of the snowdrops. Through April a sea of paler yellow and white daffodils continues the display in the orchard and other areas of the garden.

 

Daffodils herald the arrival of spring
Swathes of daffodils at the bottom of the stone staircase in stable courtyard
Daffodils herald the arrival of spring

Did you know? 

  • Daffodils were first cultivated by the Romans but were returned to popularity by the English from the 1600s. 
  • The yellow from daffodils was used as a hair dye in medieval times to look more blonde. 
  • They are one of the most hybridised flowers in the world. 
  • Daffodils look lovely indoors too, but don't mix them with other cut flowers as the sap is toxic to them. 
  • At Ightham, squirrels eat our tulip bulbs when we aren't watching - planting daffodil bulbs around them protects the tulips, as squirrels don't like them.