Heaven on Earth: Meet Narcissus ‘Abba’, Spicy Sweet Fragrance of Springtime

Hello, My Sweet. Narcissus ‘Abba’

It’s May again, and this year, her perfume is sweeter than ever. Springtime. Oh, she really made us wait. Somehow though, the yearning just makes everything seem richer. This morning, I flung open the studio doors and for the first time this year, I brought my coffee pot outside on the terrace. Immediately, a warm breeze caught my hair, and filled my nose with a most-beloved, familiar scent. Abba. Abba, oh!

Narcissus ‘Abba’ —double-flowered, division 4 daffodil with 3-5 florets per 13″-18″ stem— is one of my favorite, cut-flowers for springtime. Some years, Abba blooms early here in Vermont. If I am lucky, she arrives with the song of our Hermit Thrush, in the first weeks of April. This year, her creamy, golden-orange-flecked blossoms happen to be opening in May. I’ll take it. Hardy in zones 5-9, Abba, like most daffodils, prefers full sun and good drainage. The scent is quite heavenly; sweet, with a hint of spice. Be sure to plant these in early autumn if you live up North. They take some time to settle in. Once they do, you’ll be rewarded again and again. Deer and rodents will snub her, but I can’t get enough of my dear Abba.

Deliciously Sweet with a Hint of Spice. Perfect for Beside the Bed

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