Description
‘Mrs Ernst H. Krelage’
1W-W
[Trumpet 1b]
(Krelage & Zn, E.H., pre-1912)
Although “Mrs Ernst” is classified as a white trumpet, we agree with the late Michael Jefferson-Brown, nurseryman and author of several books on daffodils: “It is really a pale lemon bicolor, an invigorated enlarged flower of the type of ‘Madame de Graaff’ which is the pollen parent. Its tall stem and fine carriage is the heritage of ‘King Alfred’, the other parent.” (1969). The long, slender, alabastrine trumpet opens soft, clear yellow, passing to gentle sulphur, developing such an evenly-crenate rolled rim that she might well be the surest link we have to ‘Madame de Graaff’. Both A.F. Calvert and F.H. Chapman (who bred ‘Dinkie’) praise “Mrs Ernst” in Daffodil Growing for Pleasure and Profit (1929): “This flower caused a great sensation when first shown, on account of its beautiful smooth, waxy texture and perfect form and finish…” (A.F.C.), and “I look upon it as the best thing we have had from Dutch raisers… after a day or two, when the colour fades to ivory, and the charming evenly recurved rim of the trumpet develops, it is a flower of considerable beauty and refinement…” (F.H.C.). The last word goes to M.J.-B. (1951), “I still grow a few bulbs of Mrs Krelage as it is so trouble free, and has good long stems nice for cutting”.
