This pot has lain since May of 2014 just to satisfy my curiosity. I had noticed daffodils appearing in the garden where I thought they had not been planted but at the same time I doubted whether they would self-seed.
I have read that bees are not attracted to daffodils but that will depend on the bees, the availability of other flowers and of course the variety of daffodil.
These pictures were taken in March of 2013, before we started keeping honey bees so I cannot answer for their tastes in nectar or pollen.
I do find that some of the daffodils go to seed so in May of 2014 I decided to plant some of the seeds.
In addition, the bumble bees are attracted to the tulips although some of them make very inelegant exits from inside the tulips, like this red tailed queen bumble bee. So I also had seeds of a pretty pink tulip to sow with the daffodils.
Just to make up a threesome, I had noticed that the snakeskin fritillaria (Fritillaria meleagris) had masses of seeds so their seeds went in the pot too.
The fritillaria had been sown for the first time in the autumn of 2013 and flowered abundantly the following spring. That was the last time I saw them. I am not sure whether our hot, dry summers killed off the young plants or whether I had not loved them enough while they were flowering.
The seeds in my pot from 2014 had produced green leaves last year but I felt they would need to be planted out this year. So with a heave I upturned the pot to see what was happening.
You must have faith in me here, as the photo is not clear, but there were masses of fritillaria bulblets (top left), six long, thin but very well rooted tulip bulbs (eight seeds had been planted originally) and lots of little daffodil bulblets.
I don’t like planting bulbs but here I was now with lots of little fritillaria bulblets (that I am not particularly keen on) but now I feel totally obliged to give them at least a chance to grow in with the little daffodil bulbs in a patch at the bottom of the garden.
The six pink tulip bulbs have received a preferential treatment and been replaced with new soil in the pot.
So why do I do it? Just to be sure? It is so much easier to pick up a bag of bulbs all ready to go.
a french garden 
Instinct – if we see seeds, we feel we have to grow them, that why I have 48 Larkspur plants in modules (that they have already out-grown) in the greenhouse when I doubt I need half that many. Plus all those that may survive the winter in the ground! I would live to have fritillaria but they don’t like my soil or the heat.
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I think it must be instinct that attracts us to sowing seeds. Interesting about your experience with fritillaria, it makes me feel better. I think that it is the heat and the dryness that is no good for them. Amelia
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I do this kind of experimental gardening partly out of curiosity – to see what happens if…. – and partly out of gratitude. I feel that nature provides us with so much, the least I can do is co-operate. It’s fascinating to see where this can lead… we have seedlings popping up all over the place at the moment, mostly herbs, but also some flowers that, I presume, were gifted to us by the birds or else lay dormant in compost. It’s amazing!
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Sometimes it can be very helpful when you find little plants starting off well somewhere in the garden. Amelia
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The waiting will build the suspense, and there might be a nice surprise when it’s over.
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I must admit it would be nice to fall heir to some amazing hybrid plant courtesy of some chance encounter in the garden. Well, we can always dream 🙂 Amelia
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That’s how a lot of new plant introductions come into being.
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I’m totally with you, if something catches on, one just has to plant it, whether we like it or not.
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Now the garden is getting maturer I find I am trying to squeeze more offspring in the garden and also potting them up for friends. I have been breaking up clumps of primroses today and replanting, but at this rate I can see the garden becoming a mono-culture of primroses in a few years :). Amelia
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I love the unusual pattern and shape of the fritallarias so hope you are successful with them.
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Christina has mentioned she has problems with them too so it looks like it is too hot and dry for them in the summer. I don’t mind as there are lots of other flowers at that time of year. Amelia
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At least in the UK fritillaries seem to like damp but well managed conditions like water meadows.
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I think that explains the failure of mine in the second year. We get enough water for them if planted in the autumn but they will not last out a hot, dry summer. Amelia
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Easier to pick up a pack of bulbs, but so much more fun to grow your own from seed.
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It also makes me realise how much work has gone into that pack of bulbs that I can pick up so easily. Amelia
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Self seeded is always more fun- be patient and tell us what flowers in a few years time. Good luck!
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That will be interesting, to see if I ever get flowers from them. Amelia
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How wonderful and interesting to produce bulbs from seeds!
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It was just to prove to myself that the seeds were viable and would continue growing. I think buying bulbs retail is a lot less hassle. 🙂 Amelia
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