Angel's Tears

Narcissus triandrus, a rather special small narcissus species, raised from seed.  Thirty years ago it was still possible to buy these in garden centres, wild dug bulbs which rarely survived long.  Good that this trade ended.  In commerce the cultivar 'Hawera' is a hybrid of this species, taller and with petals less swept back.  I find that it needs slightly acid compost to thrive.

Angel's Tears?  The Victorian bulb merchant Peter Barr, collecting bulbs in Spain in 1887, employed a local boy, Angel Gancedo who was sent up a steep slope on a hot afternoon to collect bulbs of this species.  On returning with them, hot and tired, he started to cry.  Barr wrote 'Narcissus Angel's Tears' on the bag the bulbs went into.

Nice day at home.  Got to know one of Jacinta's friends from church who came to lunch.  A retired prison governor.  Lots of interesting stories and good conversation.