Staffordshire study in gold and white

it's cold outside, originally uploaded by pouletsue.

This radiant photograph was taken on January 5, 2009. We asked the photographer pouletsue for details: "It's cold outside" was taken looking out of my kitchen window in Staffordshire England. I bought a pot of Tete a Tete narcissi in the supermarket to cheer me up during a cold, frosty, and foggy post Christmas spell!

First Daffodils in Columbus, Georgia

1st daffodils of the year !, originally uploaded by ericdege.

More early, early daffodils, this time in bloom and in Georgia. We wrote to the photographer ericdege for details: The photo was taken at about 10:30 in the morning on 10 January 2009 in Columbus, Georgia and are in my neighbor's front yard.. it was interesting (well, to me anyway) that I'd been talking daffodils with a friend just a few days previously and in looking through my photos from last year, had noted that I took my first daffodil photo on 7 February ..so, I thought I had a few more weeks to wait and seeing them that morning was quite a surprise.

First Daffodils in Great Falls, Virginia

Early daffodils, originally uploaded by larryhuffman.

Looks like they grow them healthy, good-lookin', and very early in Virginia, judging by this January 4, 2009 photo. We wrote to the photographer Larry Huffman to ask for details: Yep they're in Great Falls, Va. I don't know the variety, but I get them from White Flower Farm in CT, here is the product page (http://bit.ly/rcdO). These are bred for the south apparently. I actually saw some of them coming up in late November, they are on a southern slope and whenever the ground warms up I get some that pop up. I get blooms in early to mid-March and they usually last into late May but the heat kills them pretty quick. I leave the leaves up until late June even though they flop over; I've read that's when they take up nutrients for the following year.

I'm adding a hundred or so every other year to the woods behind my house. I'll post some pics later this year when they come it.

Pretty in pots

Thinking of spring, originally uploaded by Culinary Fool.

We wondered if this photograph really was taken in snowy Seattle on January 4. The photographer Culinary Fool explains: Yes I just took the photo today. But they are not outside but bulbs in pots. ;-)

We think her flickr post is all we need to know about this winter season in Seattle: Close your eyes and dream of spring. No that is not more snow falling outside. No it is not!

Jumpin' Daffodils in Monticello, Arkansas

Stand Back, originally uploaded by Jim-AR.

Here's what Jim-AR says on his flickr post aptly titled Stand Back: It's only the fourth day of January and my daffodils are jumping out of the ground.... Been a mighty mild winter in southern Arkansas so far... Cross your fingers....

Jim sent us this additional information: The photo was taken this morning (01/04/09) from one of my daffy beds in my back yard in Monticello, AR (southeastern part of State).. Links to other early photos of daffodils that I made over the past two years are given below:
www.flickr.com/photos/jim-ar/2184689701/

... and here is Jim's daffodil photostream on flickr.

First daffodils in Yeovil, Somerset UK

Wordsworth woz 'ere..., originally uploaded by elb_the_prof.

We love the story behind this photograph by elb_the_prof, taken January 4 in Yeovil, Somerset UK: I couldn't believe my eyes when I spotted these VERY early daffodils this afternoon... So gobsmacked was I that I had to turn the car round so I could come back and take a quick snap.

The professor adds: I'm not a horticulturalist, so have no information about these daffodils other than the fact that even here in the UK, it's far too early for them!

Spring is coming on the Northern California coast

Spring is coming!, originally uploaded by sarah northern california.

We love the rustic composition of this image. Here's what the photographer sarah northern california says about this January 3 photo: I just found these daffodils. They are on the back porch which I guess I haven't used in the daytime in a while. I bought a barrel of cheap bulbs (150) and stuck them everywhere last year.

Daffodil Bulb

Daffodil Bulb, originally uploaded by imayle.

This photo was taken on November 28, 2008. How beautiful is that? Curious what exactly a bulb is, we looked it up The Great Plant Escape (thanks, University of Illinois Extension Urban Programs Resource Network).

The photographer imayle tells us: It was taken in Columbia, SC in early december when I was potting up some daffodils that I picked up from walmart... I thought it looked so neat up close, so I took a picture of it. :) I got the variety pack, so I'm not sure exactly which specific type it is.

New Year's daffodils on the northern California coast

Daffodil at Point Bonita, originally uploaded by Jeremy Yost.

We can't resist photos with daffodils and water. These new daffodils live just north of San Francisco in Golden Gate National Recreation Area across from the Golden Gate Bridge.

Says the photographer, Jeremy Yost: The photo was taken on New Year's Day. At Point Bonita overlooking Point Bonita Cove at Marin Headlands.

First Daffodils in Dallas

rebirth?, originally uploaded by jypsygen.

Who would ever guess that daffodils and bricks make for such a cool composition? We love the light on the bricks, and the intimacy of the daffodils and the middle brick.

The photographer Jen R tells us: Yes, this is our yard; We just blew the mounds of fallen leaves off, and there they were. The flowers here always seem to think a little too early on that it's time to come up, which isn't strange considering the day after Christmas, Dallas hit a record high of 83. We don't know how long these guys will last, though, since no one can predict the weather in Dallas: "If you don't like the weather, just wait a couple of hours." Barring any potential cold snaps, they should do well, since they are on the south side. Let's hope they make it, so I might have a better photo to offer for your unique blog!

This photograph was taken on January 2, 2009.

Robin and his friend Daffodil

Robin 1, originally uploaded by mumpenny.

This December 27, 2008 photo has spring written all over it in West Somerset, England. The photographer, mumpenny, has sent us this information:

The robin patrols our garden which is 400' above sea level on the warm red sandy soils of West Somerset, England, in the Vale of Taunton between the Quantock hills and Exmoor, right next to the West Somerset Railway. That day, where the sun had not touched it the frost still held; but the shelter of the south facing bank made it pleasant enough to sit in the sun on an upturned bucket, camera in one hand and trowel in the other, uncovering the early daffodil shoots - and tempting titbits for the robin.

Early daffodils in Sussex, England

Early daffodils, originally uploaded by GeorgieR.

Early, early, early daffodils.

The photographer, George Redgrave, comments on the Flickr page: Daffodils out on Boxing Day! (No trains are running in Britain today - this railway is no exception.)

George tells us the railway is a miniature one in Goff's Park, Crawley, Sussex (a summertime park railroad). He has added a map tag here.

Christmas daffodil in the Netherlands

in our garden / in onze tuin, originally uploaded by friedkampes.

The photographer, Fried Kampes, comments on this lovely and unusual photo: A christmas narcissus? Or is it just a scout for next spring? // 'n Kerstnarcis? of is het gewoon een verkenner voor de komende lente?

We wrote to Fried to ask if it this was a common sight at Christmas time, and Fried replies: I know it IS here , in the Netherlands, very uncommon for daffodils to bloom in this time of the year. That's why I was so surprised to see it this morning.

Chillin' in Washington State

I guess this will chill the daffodil bulbs, originally uploaded by PittiSing
This wintry scene was captured by PittiSing on December 21 in Washington.

PittiSing writes: "The photo is in Sammamish, Washington. And yes, feel free to look at the images when the daffs come up. I planted well over 100 pink ones and I hope they make it!"

Daffodils coming up - in England

Daffies!, originally uploaded by Rosie 55
We wrote to Rosie for permission to post this photo, and her reply: "Yes, that would be fine, though you will have to come back in a few weeks to see the flowers!"

And we will...

Rosie answered our question about the photograph with this detailed information:

These are in our front garden, which is at the Southern end of the County of Gloucestershire - about twenty miles North of the city of Bristol. That makes this area a little warmer than much of the UK. And they are shoots of either King Alfreds or white narcissi - which were interplanted by a previus owner. Here is a picture of daffodils in flower in the same position last year - flickr.com/photos/rosie55/2331873684/ which was taken on 9 March 2008.

December Spring

december spring, originally uploaded by gorgeoux.

We're using the photographer's title of this December 17 photo because it is a perfect title. Mirona says this about the photo:

The photo is taken in our living room in London, yesterday. The daffodils have an amazing fragrance, which I believed until now that was only characteristic to white varieties. Both types of flowers were bought last Sunday at the Farmer's Market on Moxon Street, London (Marylebone).

Mirona has a quote on her flickr page, and it happily applies to her photography: I'm here to live out loud (Emile Zola).

Update: We wondered what is in the red bowl. Here's the answer from Mirona:

There is a floating purple candle in the red bowl, shaped like a snowflake. An early Christmas pressie :) from Habitat (London). It looks great but it doesn't burn so well... Here you can see it better:

farm4.static.flickr.com/3238/3118370476_8887673456_b.jpg

Christmas daffodils in Japan

From my yard..., originally uploaded by Pine57.

We wrote to Pine 57 in central Japan, asking about this wonderful seasonal photo taken on December 7. Here is the reply:

Thank you for noticing my super early daffodil photo. I've been noticing that this variety starts to bloom around Christmas-New Year in my backyard. December 7 is earlier than usual. The winter is mild in this region with snow only once every 7 years or so. Yesterday morning it was -0.5 C here, which is unusually cold for this area, so this winter may be the one for snow. I live in the central part of Japan, in Shizuoka Prefecture. My other daffodils will definitely bloom in spring, as they should.

In addition, we learned about two daffodil festivals in Japan, one beginning in a few weeks, and one likely in February. We'll post that information at daffodilfestivals.com. Thanks for all this super information, Pine 57!

Netherland daffodils

Is it too early to start talking about spring coming, especially since we haven't officially started winter?

This photo was taken by missgien, from her balcony in Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Oh Really? in Marin County (California)

daffodils, originally uploaded by quince flower.

Just wondering: are daffodils ever out of season in California? We're not sure what the deal is here, and are trying to find out.

Update on December 4, 2008: We just spoke with someone at the Marin County Cooperative Extension and have learned that many naturalized daffodils do, in fact, bloom in the fall in the San Francisco area. Summer is too hot for daffodils. But autumn, these days, feels a lot like spring and the daffodils agree.

This photo was taken on December 2, 2008 by quince flower.

Planting daffodils in Morningside Park

October seems a long time ago.