Top 10 daffodils for your garden

Daffodils are some of the most reliable spring bulbs, coping well with wet ground and competition from grass. Many species also flower through frost.

There are hundreds of daffodil varieties to choose from, but when it comes to looking through the bulb catalogues, what matters is flowering time. Some daffodils flower months ahead of others so, by combining early and late varieties, you can have daffodils in bloom from January to May.

The following daffodil cultivars have been selected for their spectacular spring blooms as well as their complementary flowering times. Plant the bulbs in autumn for spring displays year after year.

More daffodil content:

• Daffodils – Grow Guide
• Eight white narcissi to grow
• How to cross-pollinate daffodils

Narcissus ‘Jetfire’ is a bold March-April flowering variety with clear golden petals and a contrasting orange trumpet. It grows to 20cm so is perfect for growing in the border for a splash of bright colour.

Height x spread: 20cm x 10cm.

If planted in a sheltered, south-facing spot, Narcissus ‘Rijnveld’s Early Sensation’ could be in flower by Christmas. While most daffodils in bloom at this time of year are usually small, this variety has large, windmill-style flowers and reaches 35cm in height.

H x S: 35cm x 20cm.

Clusters of cup-and-saucer flowers top the pencil-length stems of ‘Minnow’ in March and April. It’s a great little daffodil for growing in pots or the front of a border. It has a very sweet fragrance and clumps up rapidly. Prefers full sun.

H x S: 20cm x 10cm.

The traditional yellow trumpet blooms of long-flowering Narcissus ‘Spellbinder’ gradually fade to white. It’s a tall variety – 50cm – suited to the back of a border. Flowers in March and April.

H x S: 50cm x 10cm.

Narcissus ‘February Gold’ has perfectly proportioned little flowers, with swept-back golden petals. It grows up to 30cm tall and its blooms last for weeks during March and April. Perfect for growing in pots or at the front of a border.

H x S: 30cm x 10cm.

If you want a classic daff with bright, golden trumpets and a delicate scent, then ‘Dutch Master’ is for you. It’s perfect for Easter vases, growing 45cm tall and flowering in April. Plant in drifts to break up an expanse of lawn, or at the base of a hedge.

H x S: 45cm x 15cm.

Double-flowered daffodils aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but Narcissus ‘Cheerfulness’ is lovely. It has a deep, rich yellow colour and a sweet scent to match. Flowering in April, it reaches 40cm in height, so is ideal for the middle of a border.

H x S: 40cm x 10cm.

Narcissus poeticus var. recurvus is a beautiful little daffodil with a sweet, citrusy scent. At 40cm, it’s tall enough to naturalise in lawns. It’s a late-flowering daffodil, appearing in mid-late April.

H x S: 35cm x 10cm.

Narcissus ‘Hawera’ is a small daffodil that only grows to 18cm, it packs a punch with a strong, musky scent in late-April to May. Pale yellow flowers emerge from grassy stems and leaves, and its petals curve back, giving it a shuttlecock look. Ideal for containers.

H x S: 18cm x 8cm.

Narcissus ‘Jack Snipe’ is a pretty white-and-yellow daffodil, with fragrant blooms. It flowers from April and grows to 20cm. Grow in large clumps at the front of borders or naturalised in your lawn.

H x S: 20cm x 10cm.