The city of Ashland will soon be home to thousands of yellow daffodils as the flowers bloom this month, and according to organizers, hopefully for years to come.
Daffodils, which are the birth flower of March, occur naturally across the country. In the city of Ashland, volunteers have worked to plant 20,000 yellow daffodils in the community. Leaders of the project are also hosting a family daffodil tea event at the Highland Museum and Discovery Center on March 23 at 3 p.m. to bring the event to all age groups.
Norma Meek is the President of the Ashland Spring-tacular Daffodil events and associated nonprofit. Meek said the event should capture the essence of the season.
“If we operated under beauty, tranquility, peace and love and serenity, those five things, I would come on board. I didn’t want it to be like a festival, with food trucks and vendors selling things. Not that those are bad, those are great festivals, but we just have a lot of those in our area,” said Meek.
She said the volunteer gardeners and organizers involved in the initiative aim to open people’s eyes to how beautiful eastern Kentucky can be.
“Whether you’re a child or you’re a grandmother or a high school student, you can’t pass a meadow of yellow and not smile. And it can bring joy to your life. There’s just nothing negative to say about daffodils,” said Meek.
Another private daffodil tea will take place March 24 at the Highland Museum and Discovery Center, reserved for committee members, sponsors, and special guests. Meek said she hopes to open the special event to the public in future years.
Throughout the month, officials have set up attractions for children in the area, like easter bunny visits and a special daffodil-themed fairy, named Daffni Dil. Flower fields planted by the organization can be identified by signs reading ‘Meadow of Yellow,’ along with the names of the field’s sponsors and donors.
Over the next ten years, organizers said they plan to have 70 fields of daffodils blooming across Ashland, adding around 20,000 bulbs each year.