The Obsessive Neurotic Gardener

Tag Archives: Daffodil ‘Mount Hood’

Garden tour – May 9th, 2018

Posted on by Posted in Bulbs, Spring .

The garden has arrived and I’m silly with excitement.

The difference one plant makes

If I may say so, the recent addition of this Persian Shield and its dark foliage brings this section of the garden to life.

As the surrounding perennials grow, so will this annual and by summer it will be a frickin delight to witness as you approach my front door.

 

We need to talk about the Bee Balm

It’s infiltrating the entire garden year after year and I’m still not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.

I appreciate how it easily fills in bare spots.

I appreciate how it smells (and how much the deer disagree).

I appreciate how it combines with others when in bloom.

The question becomes: When is it too much of a good thing?

 

 

It’s OK to open up

The relocation of my Trollius ‘Golden Queen’ can now be considered a success since they are blooming and looking healthy.

Still, year after year I wonder why the flowers don’t open up like this.

They never move beyond what you see in the pics below.

 

 

Daffo-delight

Narcissus ‘Decoy’

 

Narcissus ‘Green Pearl’

 

Narcissus ‘Mount Hood’

 

Other bulbs

The consistency and continued growth of Leucojum aestivum ‘Gravetye Giant’ (Summer Snowflake) has not gone unnoticed by this easily distracted gardener.

 

I’m still getting tulips in year two. Hell to the yeah baby.

 

Soon enough …

 

Phlox yeah!

Always a welcomed sight to see the Moss Phlox blooming. The perfect groundcover along a walkway or in a rock garden.

The only issue I’ve had is in trying to divide it to make more plants.

Most don’t survive or struggle mightily. It may be due to their short root system.

 

 

Malus ‘Prairie Fire’

While fleeting in flower, nothing signifies spring like this Crabapple tree.

 

Fothergilla ‘Mt. Airy’

Happy to see flowers in spring.

Solid and healthy looking green foliage all summer.

To die for color in fall.

 

Oh deer

This was the worst year yet.

The deer bombarded the Viburnum carlesii one night this past weekend and devoured nearly all of the about-to-bloom flowers.

And they messed with me by leaving a few along the bottom of the shrub.

A big F You.

 

Up next

Baptisia time is right around the corner.

 

Plant combo of the week – Daffodil ‘Mt Hood’ and Grape Hyacinth ‘Blue Spike’

Posted on by Posted in Bulbs .

Today I am rolling out a new feature on the blog – “Plant Combo of The Week” – where I’ll feature a plant tandem from my own garden that I am digging. We all know that our flowers and foliage look that much better with a partner or foil and I’ll do my best to highlight some of my favorites.

Since today is February 1st and spring is within earshot, I’ll give you a bulb combo I’ve had going for three years now. It is Narcissus (Daffodil) ‘Mount Hood’ and Muscari (Grape Hyacinth) ‘Blue Spike’.

The photo above was taken when both were in peak bloom, near the end of April and into early May here in my zone 6B garden. They typically look like this for a good two weeks. I am desperate for color at that time of year so this vignette is a welcome sight.

I had written a post about Daffodil ‘Mount Hood’ a few years back, so feel free to check that out if you desire more info. One of the more interesting features of ‘Mt Hood’ is that the flowers emerge yellow, and then quickly transform to an ivory white.

 

While this daffodil/hyacinth combo has only been together for 3 years, I’ve had the ‘Mount Hood’ daffodils for 7 years now and they show no signs of slowing down. I let the foliage die back completely and feed the bulbs each summer and I assume that has aided in their longevity.

The Muscari ‘Blue Spike’ foliage emerges in the fall and in the winter (I can see it right now out my front window) depending on intermittent warm spells, often dies back fully and then reemerges in spring. And the rabbits nibble it like mad. But even with that, they still perform and bloom without issue. I haven’t had a bloom chowed on to date.

 

I do have to admit that these are in the one spot where I have good soil drainage because they would never survive the winter with wet feet.

They are also in partial shade and don’t seem to mind even though full sun is the ideal exposure.

The ‘Blue Spike’ blooms get no taller than 6″ and have a decent fragrance but nowhere near that of other hyacinths.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Narcissus (Daffodil) ‘Mount Hood’

Posted on by Posted in Bulbs .

Everyone loves the daffodil.

They are the ultimate sign of spring after a long cold winter. A promise of better things to come if you will.

But yours truly is completely indifferent to the narcissus … with one exception. I dig the white ones.

A few years ago, I did my homework and determined that the best white daffodil available was ‘Mount Hood’. I can tell you from experience, they rock:  

I have always had a soft spot for white flowers (one of these days I will create a moon garden filled with only white flowers, but I digress) and Mount Hood fulfills that need.

What is interesting, is that when these daffodils first bloom (late April here in zone 6B) the trumpet is a pale yellow color:

And eventually transforms to a pure white (as seen in the two photos below):

And when the pure white state is reached, it is nirvana:
I planted a few clumps of these a few years ago and while they reliably come back and bloom each year, I haven’t seen them multiply as much as I had hoped for:

Some other nuggets of info before I get out of here:

  • Each bloom is about 5″ in diameter
  • Survives in zones 3-8
  • They reach a height of about 14″ to 18″ 
  • Prefer full sun but have thrived in partial shade for me 
  • The foliage is a fantastic blue/green color
  • As with all daffodils, they are deer resistant 

Have you grown this? Dig it? Would also love suggestions for other ‘whites’.

John