10 Top Daffodils for the Midwest

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Early heralds of spring

The first daffodil in the garden is cause for celebration. Even if you're still scraping frost off your windshield, a swath of waving yellow daffodils means spring has arrived.

Daffodils, also known as jonquils and the botanically correct Narcissus, light up landscapes with shades of white, cream, yellow, orange and light pink. Other advantages of these beauties:

-- Daffodils are easier to grow than spring's other headliner, tulips.

-- Most daffodils are reliably hardy in Midwest gardens, becoming steady perennials with sun and average soil.

-- Daffodils offer a range of bloom times (early, midseason and late-blooming).

-- Daffodils spread easily, growing into larger clumps.

-- Daffodil leaves contain sharp crystals that deter garden grazers such as deer, rabbits and squirrels.

Click ahead for experts' recommendations for gorgeous varieties that excel in Midwest gardens, as well as tips for getting the most from your blooms.

Pictured: 'Oregon Trail' daffodil