Daffodils in the Dandenong Ranges: 10 Fun Facts About Spring's Brightest Flower

Every spring there is a moment when the Dandenong Ranges suddenly turn yellow. Long before the tulips and rhododendrons steal the show, the daffodils are already out, nodding along the paths and filling whole beds with gold. This year I photographed them in two of my favourite spots: the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden in Olinda and the Tesselaar Tulip Festival in Silvan. Here is what I saw, and ten fun facts about the flower that I picked up along the way.

Where I Photographed the Daffodils

The Dandenong Ranges Botanic Garden is famous for its rhododendrons, but in late winter and early spring the daffodils come first. The garden is home to around a quarter of a million of them, and it has been described as having the largest undercover daffodil display in the Southern Hemisphere, so even a grey, drizzly day in the hills is worth the trip.

A few kilometres down the road, the Tesselaar Tulip Festival in Silvan grows daffodils alongside its tulips. After this year's record-warm winter, the flower fields were a mix of everything: classic golden trumpets, frilly doubles, pure white narcissus and the bright yellow-and-orange varieties you see at the top of this post.

10 Fun Facts About Daffodils

1. Daffodil, narcissus or jonquil? All of the above

Daffodils belong to the genus Narcissus. "Daffodil" is simply the common English name, and jonquils are one group within the same family. So whatever you call them, you are talking about the same flower.

2. They are named after a young man who loved his own reflection

The genus is generally thought to be named after Narcissus from Greek myth, who fell in love with his reflection in a pool. Look at how many daffodils bow their heads, and the story suddenly makes sense.

3. There are more than 32,000 registered varieties

Botanists still argue about how many wild species there are, with estimates ranging from a few dozen to well over a hundred. The garden varieties are another story: the American Daffodil Society estimates there are more than 32,000 registered cultivars, sorted into 13 official divisions by the shape of the flower.

4. The "trumpet" has a proper name

The cup or trumpet in the middle of a daffodil is called the corona, and the ring of petals around it is the perianth. Daffodils are judged and classified by the shape and length of the corona compared with the petals, which is why some look like long trumpets and others like flat little saucers.

5. Every part of the plant is poisonous

Daffodils contain an alkaloid called lycorine, most concentrated in the bulb. It is one reason daffodils are such reliable garden plants: most animals simply leave them alone. Keep the bulbs away from pets and small children, and never mistake them for onions.

6. Don't put fresh-cut daffodils in a vase with other flowers

A freshly cut daffodil releases a slimy sap into the water that blocks the stems of other flowers, so they cannot drink. Florists usually give daffodils their own vase, or let them stand alone in water for a while before mixing them into a bouquet.

7. They help treat Alzheimer's disease

Daffodils contain galantamine, a compound used in medicines that slow the progression of Alzheimer's symptoms. In Wales, a farm in the Black Mountains grows daffodils about 1,000 feet above sea level for this purpose, because the plants there produce more galantamine.

8. The daffodil is a national symbol of Wales

Alongside the leek, the daffodil is one of the best-known emblems of Wales, and you will see them everywhere on St David's Day, 1 March, which falls in the middle of the European daffodil season.

9. In Australia, the daffodil stands for hope

Cancer Council's Daffodil Day has been running since 1986, and 2026 marked its 40th year. To people affected by cancer, the daffodil symbolises hope for a future free of the disease, which is a lovely thing for a flower that is one of the first to bloom after winter.

10. Our daffodil season is upside down

In Europe, daffodils are a sign of March and April. In the Dandenong Ranges they flower from late winter into spring, roughly August to September, with some displays lasting longer. For anyone who grew up in the Northern Hemisphere, seeing Easter's flower bloom in August still feels a little back to front.

Tips for Photographing Daffodils

Daffodils are a joy to photograph, but bright yellow is tricky. A soft, overcast day keeps the detail in the petals; in harsh sun, the yellow quickly turns into a flat, glowing blob. Get low, down at flower height, and shoot through the blooms in front to create a soft, golden blur like the one in the photo above. And try at least one shot from below, looking up through the stems to the sky. It is the daffodil's own point of view, and it often makes the most surprising picture of the day.

A Year of Daffodils on Your Wall

The best of this season's daffodils became the 2027 Personalised Daffodils Wall Calendar: twelve months of golden trumpets, frilly doubles, white narcissus and whole fields in flower. Like all my calendars, you can personalise it with your own start month, language, public holidays and family birthdays, and it is printed locally and shipped worldwide. It makes an easy gift for gardeners and anyone who loves spring. You will find it, along with my other flower calendars, in the Flowers & Gardens collection.

More Flowers From the Dandenong Ranges

If you enjoyed this, have a look at Tulips: From Ottoman Gardens to the Tesselaar Tulip Festival, the story of the Iceland poppies at Tesselaar, and My Favourite Places: The Dandenong Ranges.