March brings the first hint of spring in Seattle with a sudden burst of sunny, warm weather, which always sends Seattle natives into a gardening and flower frenzy.
Most flowers, however, don’t start blooming until late April and early May.
One of the biggest exceptions is daffodils. Daffodils are the first sign of hope that better weather is on the horizon and that the Pacific Northwest will soon emerge from The Great Dark.
Since my small Seattle urban flower farm focuses on the shoulder seasons — spring and then late summer/fall season — I am going all in on daffodils this year in hopes of getting an earlier selection of flowers.
Daffodils have an amazing scent, a huge amount of variety, and bloom early in the season.
Most people think of daffodils as the Tweety Bird yellow daffodils, but they actually come in several shapes and colors.
Another perk of daffodils is that pests and critters seem to leave them alone.
Plus, they are easy to plant, a low-maintenance perennial, and they can handle a healthy amount of neglect. (A perennial means they will come back year after year.)
Because I am always trying to cram more flowers into my small space, I like daffodils because they can be tucked into corners of the landscape and then left there year round.
Daffodils are great because you don't have to worry about watering, fertilizing, or any other maintenance. You just dig a trench and throw 'em in.
I prefer to plant them two to four inches apart because I like how a clump of blooms look in the spring. Daffodil bulbs should multiply over time, which means more flowers years after year.
Since daffodils bloom for a few weeks, then their foliage slowly dies back for a few weeks after that, I plan to plant them around the corners of my raised beds and around the base of some shrubs and bushes.
To shop specialty daffodils, check out my spring bulb selection. The sale will likely be open until mid-December.
For pointers on how to plant daffodils, here's a how-to grow guide.