Heligan Springs into Life!

Visitors to the gardens between March and April can expect a feast for the eyes, as they witness the woodland floor bursting into life, with gentle mellow yellows and whites of over 30,000 Cornish Daffodils

White daffodils? Daffodils are yellow! This is indeed true of many people’s perceptions and what you will predominantly see when venturing into any supermarket; but in fact, white daffodils were much more the norm, before they went out of fashion.

“As these bulbs begin to flower, the power they give to the woodland is immense. We will continue to build on this spring extravaganza every year, to create a wonderful collection”, remarks Iain Davies, Head of Gardens and Estate.

Sixteen stunning varieties of heritage daffodils, some dating back as far as 1907, will form this spectacular sensory display; including, Pheasants eye- Pre 1934, Rosemoor Gold- 2002, Niveth-Pre 1931, Early Bride-1943, Camilla- 1907 and Pink Smiles-1953.

In Cornwall, even in the bleakest days of winter you can still feel the mildness in the air, which often leads to the first daffodils coming into bloom as early as January. For over 100 years, Cornish-bred bulbs have been a symbol of vigour, quality, depth of colour and early flowering.

To stay true to our ethos for locally sourcing produce and to achieve the best possible display, we sourced all our bulbs from local specialists Fentongollan, who supply the gardens with bulbs and cut flowers at key points throughout the year.

The farm based on the banks of the River Fal, has over 160 acres of land dedicated to the production of daffodils, which are predominantly grown for the sale of cut flowers and bulbs, with a high percentage of these sold throughout the country and even exported to Holland.

Fentongollan has one of the widest ranging lists of home grown varieties available for sale in the country. They take enormous care of the health of their bulb stocks and cherish the reputation that Cornwall has for being one of the finest growing areas in the world, for daffodils and narcissi.

This spring we are proudly hosting a heritage daffodil fair within the Wood Project, displaying some of Fentongollan’s most spectacular daffodils. Here visitors will be able to enjoy the spring spectacle of over 50 stunning heritage daffodil varieties, which can also be ordered for home delivery, so you can create your own magnificent display at home next spring.

To celebrate the majestic daffodil, we will also be giving away a bunch of free daffodils on Mother’s Day for every mother through the gates on a first come, first serve basis.

Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to see these glorious, heritage blooms right here at The Lost Gardens.