Rare daffodil bids to symbolise the county (From Western Telegraph)

Rare daffodil bids to symbolise the county

IN CELEBRATION of the Queens Golden Jubilee, Plantlife - the national charity concerned with the protection of wild plants - is inviting people to vote for the plant they think most appropriate as the symbol of their county.

Surely the Tenby daffodil is the prime candidate as Pembrokeshires plant? One of the earliest of daffodils to flower, and with a deep golden yellow colour, it deserves every consideration to be accorded such an honour.

After all, Pembrokeshire has a special responsibility for this daffodil which normally only occurs in the south of the county and across the borders into West Carmarthenshire and South Ceredigion.

Known to scientists as Narcissus pseudonarcissus ssp obvallaris, the origins of the Tenby daffodil are not without mystery.

Richard Anthony Salisbury (1761-1828) first described this unique daffodil in 1796, since when many suggestions have been made as to both its origin and restricted range. Some have suggested that bulbs from the Mediterranean were first brought to Wales by Phoenician voyagers. A 12th century Flemish origin, even the activities of travelling French or Italian monks, are other possibilities aired as to how the daffodil came to grace our county

Throughout much of the 19th century the Tenby daffodil seems to have been extremely widespread, carpeting whole fields in South Pembrokeshire with their blooms. One observer described how, near Penally, children saw a host of golden daffodils ... fluttering and dancing in the breeze ....

However, the burgeoning trade in garden plants during late Victorian times created an insatiable demand for bulbs, so that much of the county was rapidly denuded. It is said that, in two years, over half-a-million bulbs were despatched to London. A native of Tenby, writing in 1893, referred to the depredations of visitors and the greed of occupiers of land as being reasons for a serious decline in the daffodil.

Ten years later another observer noted that the country land has been searched by the dealers and their agents till few of the beautiful variety remain.

Then followed periods of agricultural change when centuries-old flower-rich permanent grassland was ploughed and almost the last vestiges of bulbs eliminated. Fortunately, since those dark days, the Tenby daffodil has made quite a comeback, though is mostly restricted to roadside verges, hedge-banks and woodland margins, where it thrives.

Small wonder that such a special plant was chosen as the featured flower of the 1992 Garden Festival Wales at Ebbw Vale. Here, the horticultural co-ordinator said: We decided that you simply could not have a Welsh Garden Festival without daffodils and nothing could be more appropriate than the Tenby daffodil.

Early flowering, spectacularly colourful, easy to recognise, what more does one require to be voted as Pembrokeshire's plant. If you agree, then why not register your vote for the Tenby daffodil as the wildflower of our county with Plantlife at www.plantlife.org.uk/html/county_flowers.htm Those readers who do not agree - hopefully not too many - may wish to register their own choice of wild flower. Plantlife suggest a number of other stars as possibilities, all scarce plants: goldilocks aster, perennial centaury, hairy greenweed, wavy St Johns wort, small restharrow and three lobed crowfoot. The decision is yours. There are over a thousand Pembrokeshire plants to choose from and you have between now and December to cast your vote. The results will be announced in February 2003, just as the first Tenby daffodils of the year are coming into bloom. Plantlife can be contacted at 21 Elizabeth Street, London, SW1W 9RP, Tel. 020 7808 0100 or e-mail enquiries@plantlife.org.uk