For Sarah and Steve Zolock of Rostraver, the hands-down favorite is Sir Winston Churchill -- but they also are partial to King Alfred. This time of year, the Zolocks enjoy gazing at them in their yard. Sir Winston Churchill and King Alfred are two varieties of daffodils. As members of the Daffodil and Hosta Society of Western Pennsylvania, the retired couple is familiar with the bright yellow, white and sometimes pink blooms that -- like robins and income tax forms -- are annual harbingers of spring. Daffodils, says Sarah Zolock, "are a very old flower. There's even information in the Bible about them, and poetry written in honor of them." One of her husband's favorite poems is by William Wordsworth (1770-1850), an English poet of the Romantic era. His "Daffodils," written in 1804, is included in a 1936 school textbook, "The Best Loved Poems of the American People." Besides enjoying the flowers for their beauty, the Zolocks take pleasure in collecting different varieties of the perennial. They have 291 of them scattered around their property, all labeled with their assigned names and classification. Zolock orders new bulbs from growers in other states, especially Washington and Oregon, and obtains more new varieties from society members who are willing to share their plants at club auctions and other events. "We add to our collection every year," she says. The couple also runs a family-owned greenhouse business, and they hybridize varieties of hostas and daylilies. They don't hybridize daffodils, however, because of the time involved. "It takes five years to set a daffodil seed from the time you make a cross, collect the seed, plant it and evaluate the results," Zolock says. There are 13 descriptive divisions of daffodils, she says. Miniatures have the same descriptive divisions as standards, only with smaller blooms. The number and letter coding that corresponds to each type of daffodil tells the color of its perianth (petals) and corona (cup), she says. Another member of the Daffodil and Hosta Society of Western Pennsylvania -- a branch of the American Daffodil Society -- is Linda Herhold of McMurray. In addition to her work as publicity chairwoman for the 75-member group, as well as the Pittsburgh Iris and Daylily Society, she has started to learn the fundamentals of daffodil show judging. "It's a long process to become a judge," Herhold says. "It will take two to three years to get through everything." Six members of the society in the Pittsburgh area are working toward certification, which involves taking classes, passing three tests and serving as a student judge at three daffodil competitions. When she achieves her goal, Herhold will be able to judge entries in shows such as the annual Western Pennsylvania Daffodil Show next weekend at the Galleria Mall in Mt. Lebanon. Entries for that competition will be accepted from 8 to 10 p.m. Friday and from 8 to 10 a.m. April 24, the day of the show. It is not necessary to be a society member to enter. Following the judging, the free show will be open from 1 to 9 p.m. to the public. At 10 a.m., members also plan to begin a sale of hosta varieties common to Western Pennsylvania. When rating show flowers, judges look for uniform size, smooth texture, bright color, tall stems, perfect blooms and dirt-free appearance, Herhold says. "With all the rain we've had, it will be important to clean the entries with a Q-Tip to remove all the dirt marks," she says. "They detract from the beauty of the flower." According to the society's Web site, www.dhswp.org, daffodils are hardy flowers that can be planted nearly anywhere in the garden, except for extremely shaded areas. Once planted in well-drained, good garden soil, daffodils can be left in the ground for four to six years, or until they need to be divided. The Zolocks and Herhold say that one of the best features of daffodils is that they are virtually deer- and rabbit-proof. "They'll eat tulips, but they leave daffodils alone," Herhold says, "which is a big plus in our deer-ridden Western Pennsylvania. I also like them because they're bright and sunny on a gray day -- and they don't require a whole lot of maintenance." Says Zolock, "We live in a wonderful area for growing daffodils. Daffodils are cool-weather plants that love rain. Hot weather just devastates them." "Daffodils" (1804), by William Wordsworth I wandered 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 stretched 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 a 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. Additional Information:

Details

Annual Daffodil Show Presenetd by: Daffodil and Hosta Society of Western Pennsylvania When: 1 to 9 p.m. April 24 Where: Galleria Mall, first floor, Mt. Lebanon Entries: Accepted from 8 to 10 p.m. Friday, 8 to 10 a.m. April 24. Anyone can enter. Cost: Free. Details: (724) 941-8101

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