Double daffodil named for Churchill is as enjoyable as his wit

With people arguing politics all summer, it is nice to recall these words of Sir Winston Churchill, "We can always count on the Americans to do the right thing after they have exhausted all the other possibilities."

Of course, he is more famous for an exchange with Lady Astor, where she said, "Winston, if I were your wife, I'd put poison in your coffee." To which he replied, "Nancy, if I were your husband, I'd drink it."

Wit extends to the garden with playful double-flowering daffodils such as Sir Winston Churchill, possibly the most fragrant daffodil in the world. It blooms in clusters of up to four flowers on each stem, and every flower has a set of creamy white petals speckled with smaller yellow ruffled petals in the center. Even though it looks like a fragile gardenia, Sir Winston Churchill daffodil is actually very hardy and will grow in a wide range of soils and climates. Sir Winston Churchill blooms in to mid-late spring, a bit later than most other daffodils.

Other double daffodils that complement Sir Winston Churchill include Tahiti, which has soft yellow petals mixed with smaller orange petals at the center of each bloom for a nice two-tone effect. The all-yellow double Golden Ducat has huge flowers that can be 4 inches across or more.

Daffodil bulbs look like small onions, often with a point on one side. The flat end of the bulb sometimes has small roots. Place daffodil bulbs with the flat side down and the pointed side facing up. Plant them in the fall before the first frost, when the ground temperature reaches 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit. Bulbs need cold temperatures during the winter to encourage root growth and prepare for flowering in the spring.

Double daffodils grow best in well-drained, slightly acidic soil, in full sun or partial shade. Good drainage is important, because sitting water will rot the roots. Plant the bulbs 4 to 6 inches deep, and 4 to 6 inches apart. You can add kelp meal to your planting area to help the daffodils establish strong roots. A good rule of thumb when planting daffodil bulbs is to put at least 2 times their height of soil above them. Double daffodils do well planted deeply in light soil. After planting, water the bed well to get rid of any air pockets.

To encourage your Sir Winston Churchill double daffodils to increase and return every year, let them die back naturally after they have bloomed. Let the leaves grow to nourish the bulbs for blooms next year. After the leaves wither and turn yellow, you can cut them off close to the ground or gently pull off the loose leaves.

After several years, you may need to dig up and divide your daffodils. Do this in to mid-late summer after the leaves have died. Replant the bulbs in the fall.

Plant Sir Winston Churchill and his fellow double daffodils, Tahiti and Golden Ducat, and you will have something beautiful to enjoy. Unlike Charles de Gaulle, of whom Churchill said, “[He] looks like a female llama surprised when bathing.“

Enjoy your garden, and leave the politics to the politicians. As Sir Winston said, "Tact is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip."