Narcissus Petit Four

'Petit Four' Double Flowered Narcissus is loved for its beautiful flower. It unfolds a large solitary flower, formed by a frill of apricot and white petals, surrounded by a tubular and frilly apricot corolla, resting on white petals. The flowering takes place in the middle of spring. It is a remarkable cut flower and beautiful in borders, flower beds or large pots. It is an easy plant to grow, full of charm and very hardy.

The 'Petit Four' Double Flowered Narcissus belongs to the liliaceae (Amaryllidaceae) family, more precisely to division 4 of 12, in the large narcissus family. The genus Narcissus includes about 50 species mainly found in the western Mediterranean, but also in Africa and Asia. 'Petit Four' produces a very sturdy 40 cm (16in) tall flowering stem. It is mid-late flowering in April, with a large green-yellow floral bud opening to delicious 11 cm (4in) diameter flowers, in pastel colours which fade slightly with age. Double Flowered Narcissus have an extra crown of petals and a long flowering period. The flowers have six petal-like tepals. The six stamens are inserted in a cup-shaped crown or paracorolla. The deciduous, linear foliage disappears in summer.

There are so many varieties of narcissus that you can enjoy them for three months in spring without ever getting tired. They can all naturalise easily, love yellow and white, and often emit a sweet fragrance. So many reasons to grow them in large clumps (at least 20 bulbs) for a mass effect. Combine 'Petit Four' in formal flower beds with scilla and hyacinths, double tulips, forget-me-nots, pansies or liverworts. A bunch of 'Petit Four' Double Flowered Narcissus in a vase will be stunning. This narcissus is perfect in pots.

Daffodils are the same as narcissus, these belong to division 7 of the group. Native to southern Europe and North Africa, they have flowers grouped in pairs or more. Botanical species have kept the charm of wild plants and thrive in rockeries: N.bulbocodium, N. canaliculatus, N.juncifolius, N.pseudonarcissus, the simple wood jonquil, are among the prettiest. For bouquets: we advise you not to mix narcissus with other flowers such as tulips, as the stems of narcissus contain a substance that quickly wilts other flowers. This detrimental effect on other flower species can be mitigated by dipping the ends of the narcissus stems in hot water for 1 to 2 minutes.