He composed the work in 1887 at Leipzig, after his time as manager of an orange grove in Florida, inspired by its landscape and culture, mainly centred on the St. Johns River.
During this time, Delius also studied music with an organist in Jacksonville.
The "Daybreak" movement includes a version of the tune "La Calinda", which Delius later used in his opera Koanga.
[3] Sir Thomas Beecham was a noted champion and had a copyist's score, which he used for himself, made from the composer's original manuscript.
[4] It is an example of the type of programme music for which Delius was both lauded and disparaged.