Naturalising Daffodils: A Beginner's Guide to Drifts of Spring Colour

Daffodils are the easiest spring bulb to naturalise — plant them once in grass, borders or under trees and they’ll multiply and return year after year with almost no maintenance.

What "naturalising" means

Rather than planting in neat rows, naturalised daffodils are scattered to look as though they seeded themselves. The classic technique is to toss handfuls of bulbs across the planting area and plant them where they land.

Good varieties for naturalising

Narcissus bulbocodium (buy from Thompson & Morgan →), the hoop-petticoat daffodil, is compact and spreads readily in short grass or rockeries. For borders and cut flowers, Narcissus 'Blushing Lady' (buy from Thompson & Morgan →) offers a softer, two-toned bloom that multiplies well in loamy soil.

Planting depth and timing

Plant daffodil bulbs September through November, at a depth of around 15cm — roughly twice the bulb's height. In grass, use a bulb planter to lift a plug of turf, drop the bulb in point-up, and replace the turf.

Aftercare for naturalised drifts

Leave foliage to die back naturally for at least six weeks after flowering before mowing — this is when the bulb rebuilds its energy reserves for next spring. Once established, naturalised daffodils need no digging up or dividing; they'll simply spread wider each year.

If you’re planting daffodils alongside hardy orchids such as Dactylorhiza, stagger flowering times so the display carries from February through May.