Daffodil Growers Standing Tall
Published on September 16, 2022
Horowhenua daffodil growers are shining as brightly as the flowers themselves.
There are several active award-winning daffodil growers in Horowhenua, known nationally and internationally.
Three of these growers are in the Central Daffodil Group which is affiliated to the National Daffodil Society of New Zealand. They have named and registered daffodils on the international stage, impressing their peers with their enthusiasm and beautiful blooms.
Central Daffodil Group Secretary Diane Irwin is one of these growers; she’s been growing exhibition daffodils since 1984. Inspired by her passion, her husband Peter also took up the challenge of hybridising daffodils for exhibition. Their daffodils have won local, national and international awards. Their secret? Hard work and good Horowhenua soil.
“Ōhau in particular is a great place to grow daffodils. The climate and soil suit them” Diane says. “There are even registered varieties which feature its name such as Ōhau Magic and Ōhau Brilliance.”
“We are fortunate here in the Horowhenua to have hybridisers that have had the ability to produce a number of new daffodils. The flowering season has now been extended from having the first daffodils in June/July to having the first daffodils flowering in late April/early May.”
Growing daffodils for exhibition can be a challenging and slow feat. Daffodils produce seeds which take five years to grow into a bulb. When breeding daffodils, pollen is collected from one variety and used to fertilise another. Only a small number of seeds collected produce long term variable bulbs. It can take up to 20 years to grow and assess the progeny from each seed and only a small number make it through the selection process. It can take years to produce enough bulbs for new varieties to enter the flower market.
“Daffodils might be difficult and hard to grow, but it is so rewarding to see them flower,” Diane continues.
Daffodils are considered to be a spring flowering plant but they can bloom for a much longer period of time. There are autumn flowering varieties that flower and sustain their blooms right through winter. However, it is spring when the main flowering occurs and daffodil enthusiasts gather to present their creations.
On 9 August the Central Daffodil Group, which has members from Wellington to Tūrangi and many places in-between, gathered at Levin’s Freemasons Centre to share their daffodils with other members. The Ōtaki Horticultural Society Daffodil Show was held on 2 September and the North Island National Daffodil Show was held at the Palmerston North Community Leisure Centre on 10 to 11 September.
Champion daffodil grower John Hollever has been growing and breeding daffodils in Horowhenua since 1991 and is drawn to the competitive nature of daffodil growing and seeing new hybrids emerging.
“The standard of flowers continues to improve,” he says. “I’m enjoying spending more time in my retirement developing seedlings. There are more people coming to the shows and it’s getting harder to win. It’s great to see so many new and improved varieties – there’s now around 60,000 named and registered varieties on the online database daffnet.org.”
The National Daffodil Society is open to everyone from professionals to amateurs, experienced botanists and beginning gardeners, adults and children. It was founded in 1926 and has members nationally and internationally who share the same passion and enthusiasm for daffodils. Their website daffodil.org.nz provides growing tips and information on how to join the society.