Narcissus 'Carlton'

A deciduous, perennial bulb growing 0.5m tall and 0.2m wide.

A wonderful bulb producing bright yellow trumpet-shaped fragrant blooms in spring. Leaves are long, narrow and blue-grey in colour.

Prefers full sun to partial shade in moist but well-drained soil.

This bulb is often bought and planted as a dry bulb in late summer and some retailers also sell them flowering in pots in spring. Dig a hole large enough to take the bulbs easily, plant the bulb at a depth of approx two or three times the height of the bulb. You could incorporate some slow-release bulb food into the planting hole too. Planting at this depth helps prevent predation by narcissus bulb fly and helps guard against birds digging up the bulbs. Mulch with a good organic mulch to help discourage slugs from eating the new buds and help with moisture retention and weed suppression.

Apply mulch annually to help suppress weeds and conserve moisture. Once flowering has finished, don't be tempted to cut back the leaves, these should be left well alone until they have died down completely. The leaves provide food for the bulb for the following flowering season. If they are removed prematurely then flowering may be affected the following year. Apply a bulb fertiliser at this stage, after flowering too. Narcissus be affected by narcissus bulb fly which lays its eggs in the bulb which is then eaten by its grub once it hatches. Discourage narcissus bulb fly by buying bulbs from reputable suppliers and raking the soil back over bulbs once the leaves have died down so as to fill in the holes left by the soil, this way the fly cannot get down to the bulb to lay its eggs.

Attracts beneficial insects and pollinators to the garden.

Beware of slugs and snails when the buds are coming up. Can be affected by narcissus bulb fly which lays its eggs in the bulb which is then eaten by its grub once it hatches.

Spring Blossom Valley