One thing I've noticed in Cornwall is that the snowdrops, crocuses &
daffs
all come out at about the same time. In fact last year, when the daffs
were
exceptionally early (many fields in bloom early January), they were
before
the crocuses.

Further up country, they nearly always come out in sequence
(snowdrops-crocuses-daffs.)

It appears that crocuses are more controlled by hours of daylight, and
therefore are more fixed in the time of year they flower, than daffodils
which seem to be temperature controlled.

Any horticulturalists out there to deny or confirm this?


I'm not a horticulturist but I think you may be wrong Graham.
Crocuses are not very good in my garden and have come out later than
daffodils,
which have appeared generally in mid-March, so it can't be hours of
daylight as
I almost get the same as you. Snowdrops are always first though, even up
here.


Will,

What I actually meant was that crocuses tend to come out at about the same
time over much of England.
I spent 10 years in Wiltshire, and they tended to flower the same time as in
Cornwall. They do not appear to be particularly temperature controlled, more
time of year (daylight) controlled.

In complete contrast daffodils are always much earlier in Cornwall,
typically Jan/Feb, compared with March/April in Wilts.

I realise there are early daffodil varieties, these are often picked here
before Christmas. (Sols - really a narcissi, are picked on Scilly from
October). It's the 'main crop' big standard yellow ones I'm talking about.

Graham