Paradisi in sole paradisus terrestris, or, A garden of all sorts of pleasant flowers which our English ayre will permitt to be noursed vp / a kitchen garden of all manner of herbes, rootes & fruites for meate or sauce vsed with vs, and, an orchard of all sorte of fruitbearing trees and shrubbes fit for our land, together with the right orderinge, planting & preseruing of them and their vses & vertues

by John Parkinson

This Daffodill is so common in euery Country Garden almost through England, that I doubt I shall but spend my time in vaine, to describe that which is so well knowne, yet for their sakes that know it not, I will set downe the description of it in this manner. It hath long limber and broad leaues, of a grayish greene colour, among which riseth vp a stalke, bearing at the toppe out of a skinnie huske sometimes but one flower, but most commonly two flowers, and seldome three or more, but larger for the most part, then any that beare many flowers vpon a stalke, of a pale whitish Creame colour, tending somewhat neare vnto the colour of a pale Primrose (which hath caused our Countrey Gentlewomen, I thinke, to entitle it Primrose Peerlesse) with a small round flat Crowne, rather then a cup in the middle, of a pale yellow colour, with some pale chiues standing therein, being of a sweete, but stuffing sent: the roote is reasonable great, and encreasing more then a better plant.

Narcissus mediocroceus serotinus. The late flowring white Daffodill.

This Daffodill hath much smaller leaues, and shorter then the last, the stalke also riseth not so high by much, and beareth but one flower thereon, of a pure white colour, made of six small leaues, and somewhat narrow, standing seuerally one from another, and not so close together as the former, but appearing like a starre: the cup is small and round, of a pale yellow colour, but saffrony about the brims, hauing six small pale chiues in the middle, the smell whereof is much sweeter then in the former.

The Place.

The first is thought to grow naturally in England, but I could neuer heare of his naturall place. I am sure it is plentifull enough in all Country Gardens, so that wee scarce giue it place in our more curious parkes. The second liueth only with them that delight in varieties.

The Time.

The first Daffodill flowreth in the middle time, being neither of the earliest, nor of the latest; but about the middle, or end of April. The other flowreth with the latest in May.

The Names.

I shall not neede to trouble you with further repetitions of names, they hauing been set downe in their titles, which are proper to them.