Narcissus Westward

Narcissus Westward is a beautiful novelty, with a large solitary double flower on each stem, with a white corolla topped with a heart of crumpled petals, delicately mixed with yellow gold. It blooms in April-May, at the end of the narcissus season. This small variety is a remarkable cut flower and an easy-to-grow plant, hardy, vibrant and elegant.

The 'Westward' double-flowered Narcissus belongs to the lily family (Amaryllidaceae), specifically to division 4 of the large narcissus family, which comprises 12 divisions. The Narcissus genus includes about 50 species found mainly in the western Mediterranean, but also in Africa and Asia. 'Westward' is a low-growing variety that produces a very sturdy 30 cm (12in) tall flowering stem. It is a mid-late bloomer, in April-May, with a large yellow-green floral bud that opens into a magnificent flower composed of a heart of crumpled white and yellow gold petals, intertwined with each other, on a corolla of large ivory-white petals. Double-flowered narcissi have an extra crown of petals and a long flowering period. The flowers have six petal-like tepals. The six stamens are inserted into a cup-shaped crown or paracorolla. The deciduous, linear foliage disappears in summer.

With so many narcissus varieties available, one can enjoy them for three months in spring without ever getting tired. They all naturalise easily and love yellow and white, and often they have a sweet fragrance. These are all reasons to grow them in large clumps (at least 20 bulbs) for a mass effect. Combine 'Westward' in slightly formal flowerbeds, with scilla and hyacinths or plant them with double tulips, forget-me-nots, pansies, or liverworts. A bunch of 'Westward' double-flowered narcissus in a vase will look sensational. This narcissus is perfect for containers.

Daffodils and narcissus are the same and this variety belongs to division 7 of the group. Native to southern Europe and North Africa, they have flowers grouped in twos or more. Botanical species have retained the charm of wild plants and thrive in rock gardens: N.bulbocodium, N. canaliculatus, N.juncifolius, N.pseudonarcissus, and the simple wood jonquil are among the prettiest. For bouquets, we advise against mixing them with other flowers such as tulips, as the stems of narcissus contain a substance that causes other flowers to wilt quickly. This detrimental effect on other flower types can be mitigated by dipping the ends of narcissus stems in warm water for 1 to 2 minutes.