Growing Non-GMO Flower Surprise Double Daffodil Flower Bulbs
Plant Flower Surprise bulbs in the fall, ideally 2-4 weeks before the first hard frost, in well-drained soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH. Set bulbs 4-6 inches deep with the pointed end up, spaced about 6 inches apart. Full sun to partial shade is suitable, but note that the soft pink coloration in the blooms develops best with some filtered light rather than intense direct afternoon sun. Daffodils need 12-18 weeks of cool temperatures to bloom, which they receive naturally when planted outdoors in fall.
Allow the foliage to die back naturally after blooming — cutting it back early weakens the bulb and reduces next year's flowering. Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in fall at planting and again in early spring as shoots emerge. Because the double blooms are large and heavy, a sheltered planting spot with some protection from strong winds is a good idea — wet blooms can weigh the stems down after rain. Once established, Flower Surprise is drought-tolerant and requires very little ongoing care.
Flower Surprise Double Daffodil in the Flower Garden
Flower Surprise is a Division 4 double daffodil, bred by Dutch hybridizer Henk Wijnhout from a cross of Pink Paradise and Delnashaugh. The result is a bloom so full and layered — with multiple rows of ruffled ivory outer petals surrounding a dense center of buttery apricot-pink petaloid segments — that it reads more like a peony or a garden rose than a daffodil. The fragrance is sweet and distinctive. As a cut flower, it is outstanding, and flower farmers in particular prize it for its unusual form and excellent stem length. Bees and other early-season pollinators are strongly attracted to daffodils before most other nectar sources are available.
Landscape Use of Flower Surprise Double Daffodil
Flower Surprise works beautifully in borders and beds, and is most effective planted in clusters where the full double blooms can be appreciated up close. Its 14-16 inch height makes it a strong mid-border plant. It naturalizes over time as bulbs multiply, returning year after year with minimal care. Like all daffodils, it is reliably ignored by deer and rodents — a practical advantage over many other spring bulbs.
About Flower Surprise Double Daffodil Garden Bulbs
Double daffodils have been grown since at least the 17th century, but modern varieties like Flower Surprise represent the pinnacle of the class — the result of careful hybridization aimed at maximizing the layered, full-petaled form while retaining vigor and garden performance.
Flower Surprise is classified under RHS Division 4, the Double Daffodil group, which includes varieties with multiple layers of petals, petaloid segments, or both. Many doubles are fragrant, and Flower Surprise is no exception.
All parts of the daffodil are toxic if ingested, containing alkaloids including lycorine. Handle bulbs with gloves if you have sensitive skin, as the outer layer can irritate on contact.
Tips From Our Gardeners
If you are cutting Flower Surprise for arrangements, harvest the stems when the buds are just beginning to open and let them condition in water on their own for 12-24 hours before mixing with other flowers. Daffodil sap can shorten the vase life of other blooms, but a conditioning soak completely resolves the problem.
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- Jerry Sawyer, True Leaf Market Writer
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Flower Surprise Double Daffodil Flower Bulbs Per Package:
Non-GMO Flower Surprise Double Daffodil Bulbs are available for Fast Free Shipping on qualifying orders.