Worst In Show

The daffodil breeders must be up there with the orchid crazed and the rose obsessed when it comes to the dedication to a particular genus. The huge variety of flower types on Bulbhilla wasn't a fluke of nature. The craft of humans was involved in the breeding and selection of all these various daffodils and what is here may only amount to a small fraction of what is available out there.



I don't know what the current trend in daffodil breeding may be. All the double and split cup narcissus are a far cry from the standard daffodil form with petals and a central cup, however. With all plant breeding, you don't really know what you are going to get until you grow the seedlings to the blooming stage.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but there are bound to be some rejects in the process.



Daffodils do not seem to be prolific seed setters, but they can obviously be pollinated and produce viable seed.

I noticed a daffodil growing on the other side of the fence last year. It would not be strange to think a bulb rolled down the hill and lived during a divide and spread operation by Bulbarella. It is even possible that it came from seed. That just isn't very common. Rare would be more accurate. Last year the single bloom was damaged. I couldn't really tell what it would look like except that it appeared to be a double or split cup form.

Now I know why it decided to move itself out of the ridge top garden. Shame.

It is one butt ugly daffodil. There is no way anyone could possibly offer this sad thing in a catalog for sale. The colors are mottled. The cup is a crumpled mess with bits of brown edging. The petal edges look like sharp teeth. What would a judge at a daffodil show think of this?



Poor thing. Should it be dug up and destroyed or propagated for some obscure gardeners who revel in the ugly and bizarre of the plant world?



Across the street from the cozy cabin a bed of daffodils appear wild because the garden was let go. I don't think there are any butt ugly daffodils in there though. I suppose a whole bed of the worst in show would look just fine from a distance out in the wild.

What to do? What to do? I don't think this late round of snow that has just started will kill off the ugly daffodil.



I will just declare that I am in possession of the World's Ugliest Daffodil, (The WUD) for short.



Perhaps one of the world class competitive gardeners out there could try to come up with an uglier daffodil than mine. If that is possible. That is the WUD for sure.