10 award-winning (AGM) short daffodils

Daffodils signal the end of a long winter and the arrival of colourful, warmer days. Planting them is an investment, as they typically return every year. Short daffodils (under 35cm), in particular, work well in containers, window boxes and rockeries. With their shorter stems, they are less prone to weather damage and also look good alongside taller varieties.

Here are our top 10 short daffodils to grow, selected by daffodil expert Johnny Walkers. They all have the RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM), meaning they’re widely available, not too difficult to grow and will perform year after year. They’re a great selection for any gardener, regardless of experience level.

Perfect for your garden

This variety has a mass of petals in two shades of yellow and blooms in early to mid-season

Narcissus ‘Tête Bouclé’ is a relatively new variety. It comes from the popular ‘Tête-a-tête’ and has fully

A type of flower that has extra petals, often having a fuller appearance. Plants with double flowers are often considered more ornamental and showy than those with single flowers, though they are generally not as good for wildlife, having little or no pollen. Some plants naturally produce double flowers, while others may be bred for this trait. Examples of plants with double flowers include roses, sunflowers, dahlias, and zinnias.

A delicate variety

This daffodil’s flowers are lightly scented with soft yellow cups and swept back petals

Narcissus ‘Angel’s Whisper’ is a delicate variety that performed well in the 2023 trial and showed good longevity on the trial plot. “I’m confident it would do well in pots, as it stood clear of the foliage, allowing the flowers to be seen without being overshadowed by the green leaves. It stands beautifully and has a balanced habit, with healthy, prostrate foliage and thin, upright stems that hold the flowers well. It’s a later-flowering plant and is more delicate than the similar ‘Angel’s Breath’.” Height 15cm. Hardiness rating H6.

Ideal under shrubs

‘Snipe’ is ideal for short, grassy areas or under shrubs and trees

Narcissus ‘Snipe’ is an excellent variety with long-lasting, star-shaped flowers that stand well above the foliage. “Elegant and delicate, it forms an effective clump and has proven to be a robust plant, from the initial planting to the increased number of flowers in the second year of the trial. It appears to have a strong flower count.” Height 15cm. Hardiness rating H6.

A mid-season choice

Reflexed, bright yellow, fragranced flowers appear in late April

Narcissus ‘Yellow Sailboat’ is a clump-forming, late-flowering bulbous

Perennials are plants that live for multiple years. They come in all shapes and sizes and fill our gardens with colourful flowers and ornamental foliage. Many are hardy and can survive outdoors all year round, while less hardy types need protection over winter. The term herbaceous perennial is used to describe long-lived plants without a permanent woody structure (they die back to ground level each autumn), distinguishing them from trees, shrubs and sub-shrubs.

These are fleshy, rounded, underground storage organs, usually sold and planted while dormant. Examples include daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, lilies, onions and garlic. The term is often used to cover other underground storage organs, including corms, tubers and rhizomes.

bulbs

For borders and containers

These flowers are lightly fragranced and upward facing, with slightly swept-back white petals

Narcissus ‘Winter Waltz’ is a standout variety. It’s attractive, even and well-balanced with a good number of flowering stems per bulb. The flowers are held above the foliage, with smooth perianth segments and unusual apricot trumpets that fade over time. Lightly scented, ‘Winter Waltz’ is ideal for the front of a border or in pots and containers. Height 30cm. Hardiness rating H6.

A touch of scent

‘Tiny bubbles’ has strongly-scented, downward-facing flowers

Narcissus ‘Tiny Bubbles’ is a miniature daffodil with masses of double or triple-headed flowering stems. It has lovely, elegant, mixed-height flowers that can appear untidy, as the individual shapes are less distinct. The golden-yellow flowers are strongly scented and downward-facing, with a cylindrical corona and reflexed perianth segments. Height 25cm. Hardiness rating H6.

Some previous award-winning shorter daffodils retained their AGM status in the 2023 trial, proving they have earned their place as reliable garden favourites. Here is a selection of Johnny’s favourites.

Lovely in small gardens

This clump-forming daffodils has a short, orange corona with a ruffled yellow rim

Like Narcissus ‘Cornish Chuckles’ – a stemmed, reliable variety that always attracts attention in the garden – daffodil ‘Eaton Song’ is a Cornish variety, ideal for small gardens. “It was bred at the old collection at Rosewarne,” Johnny said. It’s a multi-headed and very robust plant with straplike green leaves and flowers with yellow outer petals that pale to white in the centre as the flower matures. Height to 30cm. Hardiness rating H6.

Stunning in a rockery

‘Jack Snipe’ is a small bulbous perennial with narrow, dark green leaves

Old but gold

‘Jetfire’ is a bulbous perennial with flowers 7cm in width

Narcissus ‘Jetfire’ is another old and deservedly popular variety. It has bright yellow petals with a red cup and narrow, bright green leaves. As an early-flowering plant, this short daffodil is a bonus in winter. It’s a very good variety and earns its place in any garden. Height to 20cm. Hardiness rating H6.

A star in the green

‘Mite’ is a small cyclamineus daffodil with golden yellow flowers in early spring

Narcissus ‘Mite’ is a fairly early variety that stands out in a trial bed alongside other daffodils. With golden yellow flowers in early spring, the slender tube only slightly flared and the perianth segments somewhat swept back, ‘Mite’ just jumps out at you. It’s perfect if you want a star for your garden. Height to 22 cm. Hardiness rating H6.

About the author – Johnny Walkers

Johnny Walkers exhibited his daffodils at every RHS Chelsea Flower Show from 1986 to 2018. He ran a successful bulb company – Walkers Bulbs from Lincolnshire. He was one of the judges of the 2023 Shorter Daffodil RHS trial and helped choose some of the award winners.