Rare daffodils celebrate valley's industrial past

More than 300 varieties of daffodils, including rare 200-year-old heirloom varieties, are blooming at a valley garden.

Thousands of the golden flowers are expected to be at their best during daffodil week from 14 to 16 March at the National Trust's Cotehele estate near Saltash in Cornwall.

Head gardener Dave Bouch said the daffodils were an important part of the valley's industrial history.

"It's important that we celebrate and protect this heritage by continuing to care for our collections," he said.

In recent years National Trust gardeners and rangers have added to the daffodil collection, having planted 1,000 White Lion daffodils, to join the 5,000 Fortune daffodils in rows in the Millennium Orchard on the banks of the River Tamar.

This year, gardeners have also crafted a daffodil display around one of the frame arches of the historic Cotehele House.

Rich Burrow, the National Trust's visitor experience manager for the Tamar Valley, said: "The garden team have really outdone themselves this year.

"This daffodil archway showcases both their creativity and the beauty of Cotehele's collection."

There will be signs highlighting the heirloom varieties which Bouch said were part of the history of daffodil growing in the valley around Cotehele.

"One hundred years ago, Narcissi that were picked in the Tamar Valley one day could be in the flower markets of Covent Garden just 12 hours later.

"It's important that we celebrate and protect this heritage by continuing to care for our collections."

Assistant gardener Kayleigh Lyle said the heritage varieties included Narcissus Brunswick, one of the earlier flowering white-headed varieties.

"They usually come in a little bit later than the yellow-headed varieties," she said.

"This one will flower lovely for a couple of weeks and then that will make way for things like our Pheasant's Eye to come through April."

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.