Hello friends,

My specialty cut flower pansies have germinated, and were recently repotted into potting mix once they had developed two sets of leaves. With space in the glasshouse being at a premium while seed sowing is in full swing, it was time to plant them out in the garden.

I wanted to plant the pansies in one area so I could easily compare the different varieties as they grew. Luckily, I had some spare space at the front of the white daffodil growing bed, so on a sunny early spring day, I got to work planting out the first batch of specialty cut flower pansies.

It didn't take long at all to plant out the first batch of pansy seedlings at a distance of about 10 cm apart. I still have another batch of pansies waiting in the wings in the glasshouse, but they're not quite ready to venture out into the big wide world just yet.

Once the second batch of pansies is planted in the garden bed, it will be a matter of waiting for the plants to grow and start flowering. Then comes the fun part, seeing which varieties produce the best flowers for cutting and discovering which ones are worth growing again next season.

For now, the pansies are happily settling into their new home, and I can't wait to see what the coming months bring.

Have a wonderful day

Julie-Ann

If you'd like to continue the conversation, you can find me on Instagram, Mastodon, Bluesky, and Facebook.

Tags: 2026, Cut Flower, Cut Flowers, Garden, Garden Project, Gardening, Pansies, Pansy, Spring, Winter

Hello friends,

I've become completely obsessed with white daffodils, also known as white narcissus, and it all began with a single observation.

While taking the Floret Flower Farm Workshop last summer, I came across a comment from Erin Benzakein during the daffodil section of the course. She explained that at her flower farm, traditional yellow daffodils didn't sell nearly as well as the white varieties. She suggested that white daffodils have an elegance that appeals to many people. They are also so much harder to find than the traditional yellow varieties, making them feel a little more unusual and distinctive.

The more I thought about her observations, the more I realised I agreed with her. I already had a few white daffodil varieties growing in my garden, but I'd never really paid much attention to them. Once I started researching the different varieties available in New Zealand, I discovered an incredible diversity of flower forms, colours, and fragrances. Before long, I wanted to see whether my own experience with white daffodils would support Erin's observations, and that curiosity soon grew into a project of its own.

I've included some photos of white daffodils already growing in my garden. I no longer remember the names of these varieties, but they've given me a starting point for what I hope will become a much larger collection over the coming years.

When spring bulb pre-orders opened on the NZ Bulbs and Bulbs Direct websites this past summer, I bought the following white narcissus varieties for my garden:

• Annalise
• Bridal Crown
• Cheerfulness
• Earlicheer
• Ice Follies
• Mint Julep
• Pure White
• Thalia
• Watch Up

Together they represent a mix of single and double flowers, pure white and cream-toned varieties, a range of sizes, and varying flowering forms. I'm looking forward to watching them grow over the coming months, observing their characteristics, and discovering which ones become my favourites.

With the daffodils chosen and delivered to my doorstep, it was finally time to plant them. Wanting to compare the different varieties side by side as they emerged and flowered, I planted them together in one of the empty dahlia seedling beds in early winter (yes, I was a little late!).

I planted the bulbs according to their mature height, with the tallest varieties at the back of the bed and the shortest at the front. My trusty bulb planter made quick work of digging the planting holes before each bulb was safely tucked into place.

It's now been about a month since I planted the daffodil bulbs, and some of the varieties have already begun emerging through the soil. It's always exciting to see those first green shoots appear, knowing the flowers won't be too far behind.

I'm looking forward to discovering the unique character of each white daffodil variety, seeing how they perform in my garden, and finding out whether my own experience supports Erin's observations as my white daffodil project unfolds over this gardening season.

Have a wonderful day

Julie-Ann

If you'd like to continue the conversation, you can find me on Instagram, Mastodon, Bluesky, and Facebook.

I'd love to hear if you grow white daffodils, or if you have a favourite variety that I should add to my collection in the future.

Tags: 2026, Autumn, Cottage Garden, Cut Flowers, Daffodils, Flower Bulbs, Flowering, Flowers, Narcissus, Spring, Spring Bulbs, Spring Garden, White Daffodil Project, White Daffodils, Winter, Winter Gardening