The Daffodil 'La Riante' is a cheerful old Dutch daffodil whose name means "the laughing girl" in French. It has been brightening gardens since 1931, and in 1958 the famous English gardener Vita Sackville-West praised its "gaiety." It is easy to see why once you see that bright little cup against the white petals.
Blooms: 'La Riante' is a small-cupped daffodil with crisp white petals around a small cup that opens scarlet and ages to orange-red. The blooms stand about 14-20" tall and open in early to mid spring. The cup color is richest with a little afternoon shade, since bright sun can fade it.
Planting: Plant the bulb like most daffodils in 6+ hours of winter sun, well-drained soil, avoid standing water, and avoid too much competition. Plant the bulbs about 2-3 times the height of the bulb deep (so if the bulb is 1 inch tall, plant it 2-3 inches deep). If you are farther north and get very cold during the winter, you may want to plant it about 4-6 inches deep. Space the holes about 3-6 inches apart, and for a more natural looking display, consider planting 2-3 bulbs in each hole.
Landscaping Tip: Narcissus bloom at different times so as one daffodil is ending its bloom time another is just beginning. We like to say that "there is a bulb that blooms every week of the year in warmer climates." Your garden can have consistent flowers that you can enjoy inside or outside for months and carry you all the way from February through April.
Fragrance: This Narcissus has a light, sweet fragrance. This fragrance can add an extra dimension of beauty to the flower and make it more attractive to pollinators like bees and butterflies.