GINA PARKINSON welcomes the first daffodils of the season, but admits she isn't always lucky with this plant.

FOR the first time this year, our sheltered city garden has been touched with ice overnight and the growth that began in the mild days of early February has a cold cover.

The snow of the past couple of weeks has emphasised how different conditions can be within a few miles, with the city of York having little in the way of snow cover while areas relatively nearby have had several inches of the stuff.

The first daffodils are blooming in our garden with the small Tete-a-tete appearing first as usual, followed by a taller one I have always assumed to be February Gold.

Despite planting many different kinds in many Septembers, these are the only reliable daffodils I have managed to grow and, to add insult to injury, February Gold was here when we arrived.

Over the years, the single clump growing by the wall at the front of the garden has spread and we now get a good show of flowers usually from mid-February onwards.

The only problem with these particular daffodils is their rather thin stems that tend to fall in strong winds or heavy rain and they are best planted with twiggy deciduous shrubs to provide support for their early flowers.

Some of mine grow between a hydrangea and red-stemmed dogwood, which at this moment is almost perfect. Later in the month, the dogwood will need to be cut hard back but by that time the daffodils will be almost finished and the pruned stems can be stuck in amongst them if they still need propping up.

Tete-a-tete is a popular daffodil for containers as well as the garden. Pots of the bulbs in flower are readily available at this time of year. They are an inexpensive way to brighten up a bare patch in a flowerbed, or put with other spring flowering plants such as primulas in a window box or patio pot. They can also be used as a houseplant while in flower, then planted outside where they will die back and emerge again the following spring.

In our garden, Tete-a-tete was originally planted with a gold variegated euonymous. As the years have passed, things have changed and, although the two plants are still together, they have been joined by a thin-leafed evergreen grass, whose name I don't know, and Euphorbia Humpty Dumpty.

The contrast of leaf shape works really well and the warm gold blooms of the daffodils and cool lime green ones of the euphorbia usually appear at the same time.

Garden news

THE 78th annual Harrogate Spring Flower Show will be held at the Great Yorkshire Showground from Thursday April 28 to Sunday May 1. This is the first major flower show of the season and more than 100 of the top horticultural nurseries will be competing for medals in the two flower halls.

Organised by the North of England Horticultural Society, the show will also feature the floristry and flower arranging marquee, the plant designers' marquee, plant societies marquee and the daffodil and tulip marquee.

There will also be a range of sundries on sale as well as regional foods, arts and crafts and of course plants and, in case of poor weather, more than 70 per cent of the show is under cover.

Tickets will be on sale at the gate each day costing from £10-£13. Tickets booked before midday on April 19 will have a £2 discount.

Booking can be made by phone 0870 758 3333, on line at www.flowershow.org.uk or by post to Harrogate Flower Shows, 4a South Park Road, Harrogate HG1 5QU. Please make the cheque payable to North of England Enterprises Ltd and include 50p administration charge per order.

Wheelchair users and one companion need two tickets but will pay for one. Please mention this when paying.

Watch this space for more details and a competition to win tickets at the beginning of April.

Updated: 16:15 Friday, March 04, 2005