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A French-Inspired Garden and Home by Judith Stringham

Three White Narcissus Spectacular Bulbs

Wednesday, September 27, 2017


FALL is the Time to Order
Three White Spectacular Narcissus Bulbs 


Are you in love with narcissus bulbs? Bulbs that pop up when Winter skies are grey, when clouds hang low over dormant gardens, when frigid temperatures make your teeth chatter? Are you in love with bulbs that push their way through frozen ground and promise Spring is around the corner? 


Y E S ?  

Daffodils, narcissus, jonquils, buttercups, paperwhites... come in many colors, color combinations, and trumpet shapes. With so many options, everyone can find daffodils suited for their personal preferences and garden requirements. NOW is the time to order the bulbs to insure your bulbs will be planted at the right time this Fall. 

Here are three spectacular white narcissi to order for your gardens, one for inside and two for outside. 


# ➀  Z I V A 


paperwhite-ziva-forcing-christmas-bulb


Paperwhites are narcissus that can be forced to bloom indoors in containers October through February. Ziva is a reliable, easy-to-find variety with a light fragrance. 




large-ziva-paperwhite-bulbs-give-mulitple-flowers
Buy large bulbs so your plants will have multiple stalks and multiple florets per stalk. Growers classify and price bulbs by bulb size. Buy at least 16-17 cm bulbs for good quality bulbs that promise good flowers. If possible, buy 17+ cm size bulbs for the best quality. 

Generally speaking, you will find the best bulbs from mail order or online sources instead of local hardware stores and even local nurseries. Some specialty garden centers will stock the largest 17+ cm bulbs, but most stock the smaller bulbs. If you buy locally, hand pick your bulbs, choose the largest ones, and look for bulbs with offshoots. 




plant-paperwhites-four-six-weeks-before-bloom-time
Plant paperwhites 4-6 weeks before you want them to bloom. Different growing conditions affect how long it takes for your paperwhites to bloom after planting. Bulbs placed in warm sunspaces with southern exposure will grow and bloom faster than bulbs placed in cooler locations. 





ziva-paperwhite-bulbs-forced-blooms-christmas
If you want paperwhites to bloom by the first week of December, you must plant them around the third week of October. Allowing two weeks delivery time for your order means the bulbs must be ordered no later than the first week of October. 

Be sure to write a note on your order you want your bulbs in time for forced blooming by early December. Bulb companies often ship to colder climates earlier than to warmer climates to get the bulbs to homeowners before their ground freezes. 




# ➁  T H A L I A 


thalia-white-narcissus-naturalizing-bulb
 Do you want a daffodil with a pure white ruffled cup surrounded by white petals for naturalizing in your yard, woodlands, or garden? Thalia grows well even in north Texas with drought-stricken summers and sparse supplementary watering. 




thalia-multiple-blooms-each-narcissus-bulb
Here is a stand of Thalia past their peak blooming. Many of these plants had multiple bloom stalks during their first year of bloom. 




white-thalia-narcissus-naturalizing-bulbs
Somehow this Thalia sprang up over 50 feet from where Thalia bulbs were planted the previous year. Maybe it survived when dug from the original site and buried by a squirrel who forgot where he planted it. With no fertilizer, no special care, the bulb naturalized and produced two beautiful blossoms in a grassy area. 




# ➂  E R L I C H E E R 


erlicheer-narcissus-double-white-fragrant-bulb
Erlicheer is an early narcissus with multiple, double flower heads on each stalk. The fragrance is heavenly. 




white-double-erlicheer-narcissus-naturalizing
This is another spectacular narcissus for naturalizing. With so many blooms, there are plenty for cutting to bring inside to enjoy. Rain is weighing down these stems which pop back up when the raindrops dry. 


See the following for more details about these three spectacular white narcissus plants. Growing tips  are included in some of these other posts. 





Remember to order these three white narcissus bulbs by early October. 

ZIVA - THALIA - ERLICHEER