Vertically Challenged

In addition to the regulars in the garden, I like to extend invitations to a few new plants each year. One of the new arrivals to my spring garden is the Tête-à-tête daffodil (Narcissus 'tete-a-tete'). (Tête-à-tête is French for 'head to head'.) My problem with daffodils is their inclination to wear out their welcome. After blooms have come and gone, they like to hang out long afterwards while their leaves slowly and unattractively die back. This miniature's petite size lead me to believe they will not become a noticeable nuisance waiting for leaves to die back, thus allowing other plants take up their place.

I have seen these little ones around here and there in other gardens, so they seemed like a good choice for a spot up front. They really need to be seen close up. They can get confused for crocuses from a distance. I must wear my glasses.

Being only 4-6 inches tall (10-15 cm), these particular tête-à-tête daffodils appear to be lower in height than others I have seen around town. Still others have longer cups than these. My guess is that these are a different subgroup of a larger mini daffodil group, or that they are new, or that I planted them too deeply. I know I planted them too far apart. They would surely look better snuggled together as a mature clump.

For The Record:   • Well-drained soil   • Full sun   • Small amount of bone meal in Fall Garden Calendar:   • Blooming: tete-a-tete, lemon chiffon, poet daffodils, apeldoorn tulips, hyacinth, snowflakes   • Seed started: cleome, tomatoes, millet, hollyhock, peppers