One of the heralds of spring is the daffodil. Part of the Arnaryllidaceae family, its botanical name is Narcissus. It is common across Europe and has come to have religious and cultural symbolism.
Some of the colloquial names given to it hint at what it represents. Lent Lily, the wild daffodil, blooms around the time of Lent in the Christian calendar. The wild species grows from seed produced after flowering and this takes 5 to 7 years to produce an adult plant capable of flowering. The cultivated plant we see in garden centres is grown from a bulb.
The bulb of the daffodil is poisonous and even after cooking can induce vomiting. Roman legend says that soldiers would carry daffodil bulbs as a suicide pill in case of capture, though the worst that would happen is vomiting and an upset stomach and an irritating itch.
One of the most easily recognised emblems of the daffodil is that as the national flower of Wales. The birth of lambs and the bloom of daffodils is the sign of spring in Wales. The Druids also adopted the daffodil as their national flower, as a symbol of purity.
We can offer you two patterns which feature daffodils:
A 1:12th scale crochet basket and daffodils for your dolls house, (see photo at top of page)
A human sized Croeso a Welsh Welcome panel for your own home or a friend’s home. (See photo above)