Open day at daffodil wood Mothering Sunday

2 Mar 2007

St David’s Day may be over for another year, but if you love daffodils, why not satisfy your horticultural hiraeth with a walk through a wood full of the true native variety?

More than 250,000 Welsh daffodils (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) can be seen blooming at the Coed y Bwl nature reserve at Castle-upon-Alun, near Bridgend.

The six-acre reserve - managed by The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales - was planted

up around 100 years ago by a member of the Nicholl family, owners the extensive Merthyr Mawr estate. Some local historians say the lady of the manor used to plant bulbs when she paid visits to local farmers to collect the rent. Others say the farmers sometimes paid her in daffodil bulbs instead of cash.

Although the daffodils normally begin blooming in February, guided walks are organised by Wildlife Trust members every March, when the blooms are at their best. This year’s event will be held on Mothering Sunday, March 18th, from 2 to 4 pm. There is no parking space at the reserve, so visitors are asked to meet at the Fox & Hounds car park in St Brides, from where transport will be provided.

Just why the daffodil came to be regarded a symbol of the Welsh is unclear, and the daffodil v leek battle has been raging for generations. The leek is known to have been worn from the early 16^th century as a symbol of Welshness, and is often referred to as the "true" national emblem.

Popular legend says that St David, leading the Welsh into battle, ordered his men to wear leeks in their hats or helmets so they could be distinguished from the pagan English.

Another theory is that the battle took place in a field of leeks, while an alternative suggestion is that the leek was simply an essential part of Welsh diet, especially during Lent; it was widely used in divination and held to be a symbol of purity and immortality – the food of saints.

Although daffodils are not botanically linked to leeks, the leaves of the plants are similar, and they are both onion-like to the untrained eye. But the key to the confusion between the two plants is most likely to be in their names : the Welsh for leek is "cennin", while daffodil is "cennin Pedr" – literally, "Peter’s leek", though no-one has yet come up with an explanation for who Peter was!

Nowadays, the leek and the daffodil are regarded with equal status on March 1^st. Though the purists may say the leek is the original badge of Welshness, who can blame those who choose the daffodil? After all, it does have the slight edge when it comes to looks and scent.

For more information about the Coed y Bwl open day, please contact the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales on 01656 724100.