“Daffodils that come before the swallow dares, and takes the winds of March with beauty.”
~ William Shakespeare
Daffodils are the flower of the month for March. They symbolize renewal, chivalry, and regard.
In Wales, it’s said if you spot the first daffodil of the season, your next 12 months will be filled with wealth! (I see a daffodil, I see a daffodil!!)
And as it happens, the daffodil is the national symbol of Wales. How? Why… you ask?
The daffodil—cenhinen Pedr—and the leek—cenhinen—have a common name in the Welsh language. Leeks (green and white in colour) were eaten from the earliest times and were thought to bring about happiness and health. A leek was worn as a battle symbol in the 6th century when, according to legend, St David told the Welsh to put one in their headgear during battle so they wouldn’t be mistaken for Saxons. And thus the leek beacame the symbol of strength in Wales. For centuries, the leek has been a staple of the Welsh diet and was once regarded as an essential ingredient in the diet of the Welsh saints and general public, especially during Lent. It was also widely used in divination and most importantly for David, was a symbol of purity and immortality.
Henry VIII gave a leek to his daughter on March 1st, St David’s Day. St David is the patron saint of Wales. So it is possible the symbol of the leek sprang from this association. And because they have the same name in Welsh they became interchangeable. The Leek and The Daffodil.
The daffodil is a more recent national symbol. The only Welsh born prime minister, David Lloyd George, a liberal, served from 1916 to 1922. It is said that he wore a daffodil on St David’s Day, and that it was used in 1911 during the investiture of the Prince of Wales at Caernarfon Castle. Both the leek and the daffodil are now associated with St David’s day. In the spring wild daffodils line the banks of some Welsh hedgerows, canals, and rivers. March and April are the best months to spot them.
Welshman David Jenkins decorated his house with nine thousand daffodils to mark St. David’s Day! Jenkins said, ""You know when you see a daffodil that winter is over – it must be the most cheerful flower in the world."

But there is one major difference: Leeks are delicious, daffodils are poisonous!!! So don’t eat the daffodils, dear, but do enjoy some leek and potato soup!
Potato Leek Soup Recipe
INGREDIENTS
3 large leeks, cut lengthwise, separate, clean. Use only the white and pale green parts, chop.
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarian option)*
2 lbs potatoes, peeled, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
Marjoram – dash
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Tabasco sauce or other red chili sauce
Salt & Pepper
*If cooking gluten-free, be sure to use gluten-free broth.
METHOD
1 Cook leeks in butter with salt and pepper in a medium sized sauce pan. Cover pan, cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Check often. Do not brown leeks! Browning will give leeks a burnt taste.
2 Add water, broth, and potatoes. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Scoop about half of the soup mixture into a blender, puree and return to pan. Add marjoram, parsley, and thyme. Add a few dashes of chili sauce to taste. Add some freshly ground pepper, 1-2 teaspoons salt or more to taste.
Serves 4-6.

Send daffodils, wear them, decorate your house with them~as they spring forth as the first thought of the season!

“Daffodils” (1804)
I WANDER’D lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretch’d in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed — and gazed — but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
By William Wordsworth (1770-1850).