What To Plant With Daffodils? One of the most beautiful flowers for the fall season is daffodils. They’re popular due to a variety of reasons. Many people love planting daffodils because they are easy to cultivate and resistant to cold winter weather and can come back each year to their gardens. Daffodils are also among the first blooms of the season in nature.
Daffodils come in a vast range of colours, therefore you’ll be able you’ll find one that will compliment your style perfectly. If you’re planning to plant an autumn garden, you can plant dwarf daffodils or miniature versions.
Dwarf daffodils make a great companion plant for gardeners who are in the early seasons since they are easy to maintain. Miniature versions of dwarf daffodils are also readily available but they’re not as durable as their bigger counterparts.
It is essential to think about the type of plant you intend to plant and its mature size before selecting a companion plant. Tulips, for instance, are the best cultivated with love and attention during the peak of the bloom.
Tulips can provide a stunning display of colour during the spring, but they will fade after the flowers have faded. Make sure to plant them on plant spines to keep their foliage at its most apex.
A companion planting that includes beans and peas is a different method of growing herbs and bulbs in the fall time. Be sure not to overwater beans and peas, since they thrive in areas of drought.
Peas are also able to thrive with mulches around their bases to prevent the plants from becoming dry. The majority of bulbs thrive in full sun, so make sure to keep your garden wide open.
If you are looking to experiment with something new, be certain to plant your plants and bulbs in a trellis or fence. These two options create great climbers and provide flowers as well as plants shade and shade. The fence can offer protection to those lower branches that are attached to your bulbs.
The flowers are also protected from wind and extreme temperatures. Trellis can allow for the movement of your plant quickly. This makes it simpler to relocate your gardens during the summer heat.
A tip to remember when it comes to choosing what to grow with daffodils is that you should choose plants that bloom at various times throughout the year. For instance that tulips and violets bloom from the beginning of spring and the beginning of summer. The first blooming plants to appear include crocuses and hydrangeas.
Another suggestion is to look at early blooming plants that can also provide shelter for bulbs of daffodils when they flower in spring. The majority of these options could include hostas, pansies and begonias. Panies and hostas are both perfect companion plants for Daffodil, and they are excellent performers during the springtime.
They are the best choice for those searching for a useful plant to begin your garden in spring. Panies and hostas are also great cut flowers to decorate your home in the spring too.
It is equally important to be aware of the best places to grow with daffodils to ensure that your garden is always a gorgeous paradise. When you place your bulbs in the right spots, you’ll have the most beautiful garden all through the year. Some gardeners even employ mulch to protect their bulbs from the elements.
Another important thing to keep in mind when choosing the right bulbs to grow with daffodils is you should select bulbs that bloom during different seasons of the year.
The spring and summer flowers tend to be more prolifically blooming than flowers that are blooming in autumn. The fall flowers usually are less bloomy due to their pollination by bees. Knowing the flowers that flower in the fall can assist you in choosing the best daffodils to plant in the fall, too.
One of the best gardening tips is to browse through photos of fall gardens created by experienced gardeners so that you have an idea of what you can plant in the autumn. It is also worth considering plant companion plants to go with specific flowers you’re cultivating.
Daffodils are among the easiest plants to take care of and are a great addition to any garden, whether it’s a plant that is planted situated in the ground or containers for garden use. It is possible to plant them on your patio or deck when they are properly cared for and are placed in the correct spot.
The best place to plant daffodils is a garden that is brimming with plants. You can create a herb-based garden of your own or you can buy a herb kit to put in the various herbs you wish to add.
Because of their size, they’re not prone to get too tall. They’re ideal to plant with a minimum of two perennials at the back as well as one plant at the centre. Bulbs are available in a range of shades including white, yellow, red, pink and Burgundy. White bulbs are ideal for your garden’s spring blooms in early spring.
They are expected to bloom again in the late summer. Flowers in yellow and pink are great for a vibrant summer garden.
What To Plant With Daffodils? Best Companion
When I think of the top Daffodil plants to have as companions I am reminded of how these vibrant yellow flowers attract people towards me.
I am fortunate to reside on a parcel of land larger than an acre. every spring, a series of daffodils spring up and explode into glorious gold and deep orange and creamy.
Many of these bulbs were cultivated by my mother who diligently divided her natural garden of dozens of bulbs until it was hundreds.
We provide links to sellers to make it easier for you to find the right products. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link we could be paid commissions.
When my dad and she relocated from the house we grew up into a quieter area and she took every one of them, and then gave us the items, and then put several in massive rubbish bags, until they were able to be picked up.
Every one of my five siblings and I have a good supply of her passes along, which are now swarming across the border of our yard, gardens, and borders.
I confess that I’ve never thought about those that are middle- or late-season varieties. I am always happy with each new season of blossoms.
Then it’s my turn to give them away. I give them out in impromptu vase to a handful of people who need to be cheered every spring. Some have been there who have been around for 12 years already.
I also send at least one bouquet each year to someone who I do not know very well, however would love to become more comfortable with it.
The person I met this past season was a woman running the t-shirt shop that helps the economically vulnerable people in my area.
Every time, this act has brought me new acquaintances or helped me reconnect with old acquaintances.
This game on the word “companion plant” leads to a crucial garden strategy for flowers:
If you’re careful in growing Daffodils according to the rules for companion plants, you’ll get plenty of beautiful flowers to share, allowing you to create new friendships.
In addition, these friends of the garden will help prolong the season and also cover the dead leaves when bulbs have over bloomed for the year.
I’m not able to tell you who you should share this information with, however, I’m more than happy to share the concept of a beneficial pairing. I’ll share some tips on the following topics. Let’s get started.
What do Daffodils require from their companions?
Companion plant is part science, and part of a shared lesson passed on from the gardener to the gardener at home.
It’s the process of cultivating certain kinds of plants near each to boost yields, reduce pests or diseases, and/or create beautiful garden designs using and striking contrasts.
A good pair of pants won’t be competing for nutrients in the soil. And If you select plants of different sizes, they won’t block each other’s view or interfere with sunlight.
Daffodils are part of the Narcissus genus, which is part of the Amaryllidaceae family They are often referred to as narcissus and, in certain regions of the US, they are referred to as Jonquils. Botanically speaking, jonquils belong to the technical part of the N. jonquilla species.
You can find out more about the distinctions between daffodils versus jonquils in this article. (coming soon!)
For Daffodils and companion plants, it’s more about pest and disease prevention since they aren’t susceptible to pests or diseases.
To learn more about the illnesses and pests they may become prey to check out our ever-growing guide.
Smart gardeners select the plants to plant close to daffodils, to create attractive colours, as well as create interest in the garden through spring and the summer.
However, the bulbs that bloom in spring are distinguished by a specific feature which makes it crucial to make a wise choice about what to plant nearby:
After they’ve provided an explosion of colour to rekindle our wintery spirit, their dead leaves have to remain in their place. While it can have its sweet time to turn yellow and die up to six or seven weeks later, it’s not allowed to cut off the leaves in that time.
I know I’m aware. I was also shocked when I first heard someone tell me that you could not just cut dead foliage to the numbs and then forget about it.
I could have complained slightly when I learned that an alternative that looked more appealing I had seen on Pinterest wasn’t a viable option.
The projects that require you to braid daffodil leaves, then tie them or clip them to make them look neater? It can damage and bruise the leaves, which can hurt the chances of growth next year.
All this has to do with that seventh-grade lesson on photosynthesis.
The bulbs are storage units that hold all the nutrients that plants will require during the next season of growth. The bulbs get the nutrients they require from leaves that are dying using photosynthesis.
Remove or damage the chlorophyll-rich plants and you risk seriously compromising their capacity to bloom any time next year and even less bloom or grow.
This is a shame because you’ll have to deal with ugly, sloppy leaves on the areas that once were bursting with bright yellow blooms.
This is where Daffodil companions can aid you out. The best selections listed below will conceal those spots until the next blooming season is guaranteed.
The most suitable plants to plant nearby could begin to develop their leaves or bloom just in time to hide the bald spots caused by the narcissus which blooms early.
The perennials that bloom quite early in the spring could serve this purpose, as certain varieties of daffodils bloom during January and February, in warmer regions of cultivation. In that time frame, the foliage can be dying back by March.
Others bloom best during mid- or the end of spring, which means they’ll require a bit of protection from perennials that flower and bloom a little later in the season.
There are other great reasons to plant certain plants in the same area as your daffodils. It’s not only about covering up untidy dead leaves.
Certain varieties are great companions for daffodils because they bloom at the same time and with colours that match these vibrant hues of yellow and deep orange lemon or pink shades.
They are also beneficial as they share the space and then blossom later, adding interesting elements to your garden or landscape in the spring and summer.
It’s also beneficial if the plants that flower are perennials with similar needs for fertilizer and water and are suitable to be in the garden simultaneously and are tolerant of direct sunlight but don’t get so high that they can’t compete with sunlight.
A few suitable companions can combine a number of these characteristics. Read on to find out what plants look most attractive and thrive best around the daffodils, as well as which ones to steer clear of.
This is the Best Daffodil Companion Plants
So long as the daffodils you have been growing in a natural setting or containers in a container, you needn’t worry about what you’re putting in the area.
When you put them into your garden or in a meadow area, the sturdy attractors will flourish in places where the climate and their companions match their preferences. This is similar to how they select their companions.
All you have to do in those garden situations is water them when the weather in spring is extremely dry. Give them perhaps 1 inch of water every week in the blooming season.
It is also possible to split them in case they get clumped together and cease to bloom.
If you’re planning to put them in a more formal area, be it the border of a garden bed or along a path They will be grateful to you for taking the time to think about choosing their partners.
Here are some excellent ideas:
Rhododendrons and Azaleas
This is one of the occasions when you can indulge in some eye-catching designs. Springtime pastels as well as the spring hues of azaleas and rhododendron blooms are particularly appealing with red oranges, yellow oranges and cream flowers.
If you arrange and thoughtfully arrange them it will be possible to enjoy the flowers in a group and still have a bit of a dead-foliage area from the shrubs.
The azaleas, or rhododendrons, are still going strong after the leaves of Daffodils are beginning to fade.
“Bloomathon” Azalea
“Bloomathon” white reblooming azalea can be available at Nature Hills Nursery.
‘P.J.M’ (short for Peter J. Mezitt) Rhododendron flowers in a beautiful hue of lavender. It’s offset by bright green leaves.
‘P.J.M’ Rhododendron
You can locate ‘P.J.M Plants in containers of #2 and #3 accessible at Nature Hills Nursery.
It is possible to find out more information about cultivating azaleas by visiting this page.
Daylilies
Daylilies belong to a group of perennials that are great companions for daffodils since they bloom midsummer, exactly when narcissus flowers that bloom in late-season begin to fade and fall over.
The daylilies are sure to provide constant interest to the landscape. They’re sufficient to block them from the view.
‘Going Bananas’ Daylilies
There are other benefits of combining these two as well.
Both are planted in the fall, which means you’ll be able to save energy.
It is possible to prepare and place the bed to accommodate both sets of flowers because they thrive in full sun and can thrive with regular, balanced fertiliser.
When summer is over each of them will benefit from extensive layers of mulch to prepare for the next season of partnering up.
‘Stella de Oro’ Daylily
If you’re committed to spreading a swath of yellow across your perennial garden it is possible to plant the same shade of daylilies and daffodils to keep the theme throughout the flowering season.
A variety of daylily varieties are available in pots by Nature Hills Nursery which includes light yellow “Going Bananas’ and deep gold “Stella de Oro.’
Check out our comprehensive guide to growing daylilies and suggestions.
Forsythia
In addition, it also blooms with that vibrant yellow colour that brightens the transition from cold temperatures to springtime, forsythia can be an excellent companion since once established, it will not compete for water.
It also has a useful habit it also has a useful habits:
It starts its springtime growth cycle with blooms appearing in its branches.
Then they fall when the leaves begin to emerge, and for some time, the flowering bush is adorned with flowers and leaves.
This makes them an excellent neighbour since the green branches can block out the faded foliage from the nectarsia.
Both plants require mulch, prefer a sunny location and should be planted in the fall. This makes the process of planning fairly simple.
The only tip that you should take, and it’s a huge one to remember how fast the forsythia grows and gets large and bushy.
This shouldn’t be a problem in spring because the daffodils have already completed their blooms for the year when the plant starts to bloom.
“Show Off” Forsythia
However, the nature-based growth habits of these plants can be an issue if the forsythia encroaches on its entire allotted area, and also that of the perennials that are in its vicinity.
It’s an easy task to maintain forsythia in check by trimming it at the beginning of spring when its bright blossoms begin to fade.
“Show Off” forsythia is available at Nature Hills Nursery in pots of four inches.
Learn more details about the best ways to cultivate forsythia in our tutorial.
Grape Hyacinths
Yellow and blue look fantastic in the garden.
I’ll always associate small grape hyacinths in that bright blue, their standard shade, however, they’re offered in a variety of shades of purple, or even pink.
Enjoy pairing various varieties of grape hyacinths with various colours of Daffodils. It’s impossible to make a mistake!
armeniacum Muscari
The grape hyacinths typically have a growth rate of between six and 12 inches tall and can spread between eight and ten inches, therefore they don’t have to compete with sun or water nor will they compete for sun or water.
You can also start both in the autumn. Dig once and plant twice, then enjoy endlessly It’s the best way to go about it.
Grape Hyacinth bulbs can be available at Eden Brothers in bags of 25, 50 or 100.
Find out the best ways to grow grape hyacinth using this article.
Tulips
Plant tulips near Daffodils to hide the dying leaves. Also, you can plant daylilies right in front of them to conceal their overgrown leaves once the time comes.
“Darwin Orange” Tulip
The three are all in the soil in the autumn, which means you can plan out the entire spectrum of colours at the same time.
One important thing to remember but: make certain to plant only the tulips in areas where they can be reached easily. Then, mark their location with a small flag or any other marking device.
“Big Smile” Tulip
Tulips are usually excavated and planted more frequently than their narcissus counterparts which are why you shouldn’t disturb the bulbs so that they can be able to reach the tulips.
Nature Hills Nursery provides yellow ‘Big smile’ and Darwi Orange Tulips which is great when planted alongside other yellow blooms.
Take a look at our comprehensive guide on cultivating tulips as well as find out about the various types of tulips.
Planting daffodils and daylilies together
Daffodils and Daylilies Collaboration is a combination of Daffodils (Narcissus) along with Daylilies (Hemerocallis) with proximity to form an area with two seasons of blooming: the first in spring and the second during the summer. With full sun or partial shade, and with well-drained soil these perennials with long lives require very little maintenance. You can count on many years of pleasure.
Planting. Prepare the planting space by loosening soil using a spade, shovel or tiller. Examine the drainage of the soil and adjust if needed. (To enhance drainage of soils with heavy clay Dig in organic matter like manure, old manure leafmold, peat-moss, leafmold or, in the South shredded pine park. If you are gardening in heavy clay, think about constructing raised beds to create well-maintained drainage.) Then, place the Daylilies on the top of the soil leaving 18-24 inches of space between the plants.
To achieve a natural and full appearance plant them on a staggered grid. Once you’re happy with the arrangement make a hole enough to accommodate the length of the Daylilies root system and deep enough for you to place the crown (the place where you’ll find the stems from the Daylilies connect with the roots) 1 inch below the soil level. Place the roots in the same way as the spokes on a wheel and over the soil with it, pressing the soil to ensure there aren’t any air pockets.
Then, place then the Daffodil bulbs on the top of the soil. Divide them equally among the Daylilies and allow about 6in between bulbs as well as the Daylilies. Plant the Daffodils with a trowel, or a bulb planter, placing them on the uppers on the Daffodil bulbs at 5-7in depth. Make sure to water your Daffodils and Daylilies thoroughly after the planting has been completed.
For those living in zone 6 (-10degF) or lower, Daylilies may require winter protection to stop their roots from being lifted out of the soil when they first start winter. In the spring of next year (late April in Litchfield) the Daffodils will be blooming as the Daylilies are still emerging from their dormancy. The beginning Daylily foliage will aid in hiding Daffodil foliage as it begins to yellow and begins to fade in the late spring. That after that, the Daylilies display their summer displays. The succession of blooms is expected to repeat each year.
Caring for plants. We suggest applying an appropriate fertilizer that is balanced, like 10-10-10, as soon as new growth begins to grow through the soil every spring. To keep the garden tidy Cut off the Daffodil leaves when it turns yellow and begins to wither (not before) and then remove the dead flowers of Daylilies. In the fall, after hard frost cut off Daylily leaves that are close to the ground.
Winter protection. In cold winter environments (Zone 6 [0-10degF] or more frigid) the alternating freezing and thawing of the soil in winter may lift plants’ new crowns as well as small shrubs out of the soil and expose their roots to dry winds and cold.
To keep plants safe from heaving in their first winter, place a 4-6in-thick layer of organic material that is loose, such as leaves of oak, straw or evergreen branches (cut into lengths of 1-2 feet) in the tops of their crowns when the ground is frozen (generally in December at Litchfield, Connecticut). Make sure to not cover the evergreen leaves of the plants, such as Digitalis or Dianthus.
Take off the winter cover gradually as the spring months progress and frosts become less frequent. For most perennials, this process is completed around the time that Daffodils are in bloom, as is Forsythias are blooming.
The difference is that Hemerocallis have a long time to appear, and you don’t wish to hurt the Daffodils by removing evergreen branches when they are blooming We recommend regularly checking in the winter months and removing the covers with stages to ensure that that the Daffodils will not get caught in the tangles.
Note: A layer of mulch cannot in itself protect against winter-related damage. If it is applied too thickly near crowns during the fall, mulch could increase the chance of suffering death from crown rot in winter. We suggest that you apply winter protection during the fall season in the same manner as we have described above, and put off mulching until spring.
The benefit in mulch. You can reduce the amount of watering and weeding chores dramatically when, in the spring of next year, it is possible to cover your garden around the plants with a 2 to 3-inch layer of mulch. The term “mulch” refers to any material loosely that is spread over the soil to preserve water, deter germination of weed seeds and reduce the temperature of the soil.
We recommend organic mulch (chipped or shredded mulch, chopped leaves and pine needles) since it breaks down and enriches the soil. Make sure to keep the mulch at least an inch more away from the plant’s crowns to avoid spreading diseases. Replace the mulch as needed each year.
How to plant bulbs and perennials together
Many gardeners believe that bulbs should be planted in empty beds or other areas that aren’t planted. However, this isn’t the situation. In reality, the flowering bulbs are nearly every time found within their natural habitats, surrounded by native plants and grasses.
Therefore, bulbs make excellent companion plants that can be incorporated in existing flower beds with groundcovers and perennials. This will not only result in more natural-looking plants However, the perennials and bulbs work effectively from a timing point of view The spring blooms will awaken the beds earlier in the growing season, and the perennials and grasses will aid in covering the bulb’s foliage when bulbs are dormant until the arrival of summer.
The most recommended combinations
The spring-blooming bulbs are among the most simple and profitable plant groups we can make use of to prolong the blooming season within our garden.
They will not only bring smiles to the faces of gardeners who have had enough of winter, however but these brightly-coloured blooms also provide essential nectar in the early season for honeybees, native bees and butterflies that are beginning to emerge. The number of appealing combinations of flowers is limitless when mixing bulbs in the perennial garden.
- Groundcover Speedwells (Veronica), with their bright blue spring flowers, provide a stunning backdrop for miniature Daffodils, such as Tete-a-Tete and Thalia. Crocus, miniature Iris as well as wildflowers are all great together with Speedwells.
- Creeping Thyme is a stunning groundcover that can be mixed with bulbs such as Wildflower Tulips, Crocus, and miniature Daffodils.
- In areas that are shaded, they can be that are planted in shady areas with Lamium as well as other plants that love shade such as the Spanish Hyacinth (Hyacinthoides hispanica) is an excellent naturalizing bulb that can be used to enhance mid-spring colour.
- The Darwin Hybrid is taller and more vigorous. Tulips and tall late-spring blooming Daffodils can create an amazing combination when planted alongside other perennials that are larger.
- Nepeta (Catmint) with its blue flowers and white-flowered Candytuft (Iberis) are two spring bloomers that are perfect for the red-blooming tall Tulips.
- Centranthus (Valerian also known as Jupiter’s Beard) looks amazing with tall, blooming Alliums. With its globe-shaped blossoms and late spring to early summer blooming time, alliums are a great method of bridging the gap between bulbs that bloom in spring and flowering perennials that bloom in summer. Furthermore, their spherical designs create interest in the garden long after the flowers have gone.
How to Plant Bulbs In A Perennial Garden
The process of planting bulbs in groundcovers is easy.
- It’s as easy as making an opening in the soil or a perennial groundcover mat, and then dropping some bulbs in the hole.
- Make use of a bulb planter to dig a beautiful hole to the right depth.
- Combine some Yum Yum Mix into the soil backfill so that the bulbs are well fed when they awake in the spring.
Do not plant Daffodils near these
Even the easy-going spring flowers don’t go along well with the other fauna and flora.
The reasons you don’t consider planting certain plants near daffodils is clear: They are competing for resources such as water or sunlight or do nothing to fill in the unappealing areas that daffodils create after they flower.
Sometimes, it’s the narcissus that is a bad garden companion. They can create certain species more prone to rodents, squirrels and other bugs, for instance, or block the path of planting seasonal crops.
These are just the four most sour Daffodil-related plants:
Annuals, especially vegetables
One benefit for perennial plants is that you need only plant them one time and they will continue to grow and flourish each year.
However, this makes them an unsuitable option for any location in which you’ll have to dig or till or replant every spring or summer.
They are best cultivated apart from annual flowers such as marigolds and zinnias.
It’s not a good idea to disturb the bulbs or, even worse you could accidentally cut them into pieces when you’re trying to clear the way for summer’s favourite foods.
For annual crops, they are even more at risk of harming the narcissus that surrounds them.
As with perennial flowers, they need regular watering throughout the year. They’re also heavy feeders, unlike our bright yellow companions who require only occasional slow-release fertilizers to flourish while five-10-10 (NPK) is plenty.
In addition to their competing nutritional requirements, the vegetables can grow very quickly. The early spring peas could stop sunlight from reaching them while the taller tomatoes and flowers later in the spring could be a source of water for the next season’s bulb growth.
Beeches, Dogwoods, and Maples
It’s cool and beautiful to plant these vibrant yellow flowers at the bottom of certain types of trees, particularly those that don’t begin to flower until later in spring.
It’s also a good idea to stay clear of growing them near beeches, maples, dogwoods as well as other trees that produce large, yet shallow massive amounts of roots.
The roots will grow exactly at the point where the bulbs attempt to draw water. They might even grow.
The neighbourly arrangement may be successful for a year or two, however, the plants will start to decline.
Plants that Rabbits and Squirrels are awestruck by
There’s a great benefit for those fighting tiny creatures to maintain the plants in our beds and our vegetables in good condition: Daffodils repel rodents!
The species belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family have an axone that insects steer clear of rodents and even squirrels! – won’t eat.
However, it doesn’t mean that you have to plant the kind of flowers rabbits, squirrels or rabbits are fond of in the vicinity of your daffodils.
Although the smell might make them feel uncomfortable, however, the likelihood is that they’ll eat your tomatoes and petunias with more enthusiasm, because they’re close to a plant that they will not consume.
Taller Perennials Blooming at the same time
It’s so fun to mix these vibrant cream and yellow hues with the other perennials that bloom in spring. But be cautious!
As they bloom they’ll require a minimum of six hours of sunshine. Make sure that other perennials that are planted around them will not be releasing large stalks, large leaves or flowers that stop the sun from reaching the lovely plants beneath.
The winter jasmine is an illustration. It is thorny in both width and height at around the time that the earliest varieties of narcissus would be blooming.
This is a particular issue for the smaller varieties like “Bridal Crown. You shouldn’t wish to plant them near anything that could be overtaking them, including flowers like daffodils or tulips. varieties that have huge flowers like “Chromacolor.’
Plant Friends, They’re Not at All Daffy
Amid our journey in a frenzy of choosing which flowering plants to mate with and ignoring others, I hope that I didn’t leave you with the feeling that the bulbs can be a nuisance.
They will require some additional care when choosing which area they’ll thrive in and what plants to plant next. However, these cream, yellow-white, peach and orange blooming beauties will repay your efforts in a multitude of ways.
They’ll grow on their own and remain for a time in the vase and their first buds provide a sign that spring has come.
Do you like to grow daffodils? We’d like to hear the details of your experiences in the comments. Send us a picture or two in addition If you can.
Please check out more guides from our blog:
Why Are My Ficus Leaves Curling?
Why Does My soil smells like sewage?
Do Spider Plants Like Coffee Grounds?
How To Fix A Leaning Potted Plant?
