A Host of Daffodils

At Brincka Cross, about 10,000 daffodils brighten the woodlands in spring. Over more than 25 years, William Brincka bought, traded, and purchased daffodil cultivars, assembling more than 450 named varieties. The daffodil woodland forms a transition between the carefully cultivated gardens around the house and the surrounding wild woods. In his garden design, Brincka sought a harmonious environment and saw the place as a sanctuary, one small piece of the Earth that he managed by taking care of it rather than controlling it. Narcissus is the Latin botanical name for the genus that includes all daffodil cultivars, so either term is correct, while jonquil is the common name for the species Narcissus jonquilla. Daffodils often clone themselves through bulb division, but they can also produce seeds through pollination, creating new genetic combinations and different flower varieties. Their bulbs and leaves contain chemicals that deter squirrels from eating them.

Indiana · United States