Sara Van Beck, president of the Georgia Daffodil Society, came by her fascination with the genus Narcissus quite naturally. John Van Beck, her late father and a native Chicagoan of Dutch descent, moved to Florida in 1946 and was intrigued with the fact that so many daffodils were growing around neglected old homesteads. He was determined, Sara says, to figure out why he had trouble getting bulbs to survive in northern Florida, while so many flowers had obviously been around for decades.

"He was very methodical," remembers Sara. "He would analyze the soil and study the types of daffodils that did well. He was always trying to figure out what the flowers had in common."

Sara Van Beck / Special (ENLARGE)

Many daffodils are yellow, such as the Narcissus x intermedias growing at Oakland Cemetery.

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Sara, a former museum curator with the National Park Service, says she was "ordered to show up at the Georgia Daffodil Society" when she moved to Atlanta in 1993. Her father was founder of the Florida Daffodil Society and wrote numerous articles about his research. After his death in 2001, Sara and her mother, Linda Van Beck, completed a book, "Daffodils in Florida: A Field Guide to the Coastal South," started by John.

Sara's own interest in daffodils is in historic bulbs (those introduced before 1940) and in rescue and conservation. Just last Saturday, Sara and a few other hardy souls braved the wind and blowing snow to save flowers that were about to be bulldozed in northern Clayton County.

On Saturday and Sunday, the Georgia Daffodil Society will hold its annual show in Day Hall at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

"This is a great opportunity for people to see that daffodils aren't all yellow," says Sara. "We have exhibitors from around the Southeast. It's incredible how many colors and forms there are — even miniatures."

MARTHA'S PICK

Triandrus Daffodil

Botanical name: Narcissus "Katie Heath"

About the plant: Nodding flowers have pure white petals surrounding a lovely pink trumpet. A new introduction named for daffodil expert Brent Heath's mother. 2007 Best-in-Show winner at a competition in Holland.

Use in the garden: Plant in a raised bed or at the edge of a walkway. Grows well in the Tallahassee, Fla., area, as well as from Atlanta to Virginia.

Planting and care: Plant in November in a sunny site with good drainage. Allow foliage to turn yellow after blooming.

Source: Orders will be taken later this month at Brent and Becky's Bulbs, 7900 Daffodil Lane, Gloucester VA 23061. 877-661-2852. www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com

Martha Tate is a writer who lives in Atlanta.