December daffodil, originally uploaded by Webrarian.

This December 27, 2009 photo was taken by Webrarian, who tells us it was directly inspired by Peter Denton’s photo (see prior entry). We now bestow upon these daffodils the honor of being the second “First Daffodil” of 2010.

Webrarian makes this comment about the image: “That’s the English Riviera for you. Spotted in Torre Abbey Gardens in Torquay.”

Climate change?, originally uploaded by Peter Denton.

This December 19, 2009 photo in West London receives the honor of the “First Daffodil of 2010″. Our blog is now officially opened for the 2010 season.

The photographer, Peter Denton, comments: 19 December 2009: On the day the world climate change summit fails amid acrimony and recrimination, a lone daffodil appears in Teddington, west London – way ahead of its time.

Peter adds: I’ve never seen a daffodil in full flower so early; here, they’re normally associated with spring, so I suppose late February onwards.

Hercules at the top of the hill at Chirk Castle, originally uploaded by nikond90fan.

Photographer nikond90fan tells us about this stunning (and strong!) photo: It was taken on Bank Holiday Monday 13th April at Chirk Castle, Chirk, Wrexham, a magnificient 700 year old marcher fortress built by King Edward I. Owned by the National Trust. The property is also notable for its gardens, with clipped yew hedges, herbaceous borders, rock gardens and terraces and surrounded by 18th century parkland and well worth a visit if you are in the area. There are hundreds of daffodils in the grounds.

Valley with daffodils Lundy Island, originally uploaded by l.j.george.

Photographer l.j.george tells us about this beautiful place: The picture was take on Lundy Island, which is in the Bristol Channel, about ten miles off the coast of Devon, England.

Lundy is a small island three miles long and half a mile wide. It is now mostly a nature reserve, but there are a few permanent residents. We were there on a short break because they do take visitors.

The valley is on the south east of the island which is more sheltered than the rest. The island is of course exposed to prevailing westerlies and most of it is grass and moorland. The valleys to the east do have more vegetation because they are on the leeward side of the island.

The photograph was taken on the evening of 21/03/2009.

National Arboretum Daffodils, originally uploaded by STphoto2008.

Photographer STphoto2008 tells us about this April 2, 2009 image: The photo was taken at the UK National Memorial Arboretum (www.thenma.org.uk). I have no idea what type of daffodils they are, they were just in the right place.

STphoto2008 has posted several additional photos of National Arboretum Daffodils on his photostream.

Fields of gold, originally uploaded by ayeupmeduck.

Photographer ayeupmeduck describes this April 2, 2009 image: The shot was taken at Highfields Park in Nottingham – given by Jesse Boot (the founder of Boots the Chemist) to the people of Nottingham in the early years of the 20th century. I don’t know what type of daffodils they are – just that there are lots of them!

Bowood Lake, originally uploaded by Canis Major.

Photographer Canis Major tells us about this Bowood Lake photo taken on April 4, 2009: The picture was taken in the gardens of Bowood House in the county of Wiltshire in SE England not far from the town of Chippenham. The grounds were designed by the famous landscape gardener Capability Brown. The house, built in 1725 is open to the public as are the gardens. One claim to fame is that it was at Bowood that Joseph Priestley discovered oxygen in 1774.

Interesting park!

CHF019, originally uploaded by rojabro.

Photographer rojabro tells us about this pretty image: It was taken on the afternoon of 31 March 2009, when I noticed the sunlight catching these daffodils on the steep bank down to the River North Tyne, in the garden of the George Hotel, Chollerford near Hexham in Northumberland.

For people wanting to look at daffodils, I have some photos from past years in this set, which may be of interest:

www.flickr.com/photos/rojabro/sets/72157608255812240/

There are some 200 varieties of daffodils at Thorp Perrow Arboretum in North Yorkshire, where the above shots were taken.

Also the garden at Constable Burton Hall in Wensleydale is known for its variety and scale of daffodil plantings. Pictures from past years can be found in this set:

www.flickr.com/photos/rojabro/sets/72157605522983511/

We just hit the daffodils jackpot.

Mottisfont Gardens, originally uploaded by neonbubble.

Photographer neonbubble tells us about this March 31, 2009 photograph: The image was taken at Mottisfont Abbey and Gardens, a National Trust heritage site in Hampshire, England. You can find out more information regarding the abbey and its gardens including location, history, and a photo gallery at this website: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-mottisfont/.

Photographer Genuine dabber tells us about this April 2, 2009 image: It was taken in a park called “The Dingle” in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England.

The photographer comments: I got down really low for this shot and got some funny looks from the people sitting around.

English Countryside, originally uploaded by miaculpa1.

Photographer miaculpa1 tells us about this March 20, 2009 photograph: The picture was taken in Chawton Alton, Hampshire UK just down the road (about two minute’s walking distance) from the Jane Austen house museum This was about three weeks ago and the weather was unseasonably warm and clear.

The daffodils there grow absolutely everywhere and are apparently the first flowers to bloom after each winter.

daffodils planted for the queen mum, originally uploaded by dolivia.

Photographer dolivia tells us these stately daffodils: The photo was taken on my recent trip to London (in February ’09). I took the photo because apparently there are no flowers planted in the whole park, except for the daffodils which were planted by school children to honor the Queen Mum.

This photograph was taken on February 23, 2009. It is likely the daffodils have come and gone by now, but we’re catching up in the posting of the photographs we have collected (now that our taxes are done!).

1747 One Month Later Than Last Year, originally uploaded by andy linden.

Photographer andy linden tells us this about the March 10, 2009 image: It was taken quite near to the O2 dome and the River Thames (i’ll put the location in the photo data) in Greenwich, London, England.

All the daffodils there are now fully in bloom.

Here is the “same” photo (with mist) from last year.

Woodland Daffodils, originally uploaded by Kernow Pics.

Photographer Kernow Pics tells us about this March 13, 2009 image: It was taken at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-trelissickgarden

Which is near the city of Truro, Cornwall, UK.

Can’t tell you much about them only that they are in a small wooded area behind the residence to the Bishop of Truro.

We grow daffodils commercially in Cornwall for the world market. There are literally hundreds of acres of daffs grown. Some are allowed to fully bloom to harvest the bulbs, others are hand picked for markets all over.

knight’s daffodil, originally uploaded by xaverie.

Photographer xaverie tells us about this March 14, 2009 image: It was taken in England, in the Cotswolds at the base of one of the Rollright Stones.

You can find out more about them here: www.rollrightstones.co.uk/index.php/stones/

Valley Gardens, Windsor Great Park, originally uploaded by ~nbpics~.

Photographer ~nbpics~ tells us about this March 15, 2009 image: The photo was taken in the Pinetum Valley area of the Valley Gardens. The gardens are situated within Windsor Great Park, not far from Windsor Castle in Berkshire, about 20 miles west of central London.

First One Out, originally uploaded by .mushi_king.

Photographer Marcus Beard tells us about this March 8, 2009 image: The photo was taken early March in Cambridge – the UK one! The banks of the river Cam on Jesus Green to be precise.

Thanks, Marcus – from our blogging station in Cambridge – the US one!

Daffodil Woods, originally uploaded by GranDadWoof.

Photographer GranDadWoof tells us about this March 14, 2009 image: It was shot with a Nikon D300 using a beautiful old Nikon 200mm f/4 Ai-S manual-focus lens in a small wood adjacent to Crofton Cemetary – which is next to the original churchyard of Crofton Old Church, Stubbington, Hampshire, UK.

The daffodils grow wild there and though I am unable to tell what variety they are. they do appear to be a domestic variety that must have escaped from captivity