Chimes Tower District

Although the shortest of the squill varieties at 4 inches, the individual flowers of Scilla mischtschenkoana are larger than most. The earliest blooming squill, the white petals have a blue stripe down the midrib, yellow stamens and a fruity scent. It can be seen surrounding the Peirce-du Pont House and near the Chimes Tower.

Korean rhododendron is one of the earliest flowering shrubs with its bright rosy pink to pinkish purple flowers emerging before its foliage in late winter.  In its native Korea, it grows on rocky, dry slopes.  In the garden, it prefers full sun and moist soil with good drainage. The Korean name for this shrub is Jin-dal-rae. There, the delicate, exquisite blossom is eaten as a delicacy.  A pan-fried sweet rice cake and a traditional Korean form of sake are brewed from the plant flower petals.
 

This tried-and-true variety of miniature daffodil was developed by pioneer plant breeder Alec Gray sometime in the 1940’s.  With it's modest 6 inch stature, featuring 2-to-3 slightly reflexed and vibrant yellow flowers per stem, and a reliable propensity to naturalize, 'Tete-a-tete' is a perfect choice for a variety of garden settings.