Operation Farmhouse Daffodil

I think I would consider the daffodil my favorite spring flower. The sunny yellow is always a cheering sight to view in the greening grass, after the tan bleakness or white snow of winter. As a gardener, I really appreciate the flower-it divides and spreads on its own, and critters do not eat daffodils.

As a runner, it's always been a fun sight to look over at the side of the road, or out into the woods, and see the discovery of a patch of daffodils. Daffodils mean civilisation. Daffodils growing in the woods mean someone planted them there. Usually, if you look closely, you will see the remains of a house, or a foundation.




Last week, as the greens started to show, I decided I would go on a daffodil scavenging hunt. These daffodils were planted by someone-probably long ago. How long? In some instances, where I scavenged, I would bet these houses have been gone for fifty or longer. Who planted the daffodils? Some farm wife? Where did she get them from? Her mother? Sister? Did a child bring home some bulbs from school?

My little mission started sooner than I thought. I was out for a trail run, when the yellow caught my eye. I investigated, and found a little gem:



I was expecting the ubiquitous big yellow trumpet daffodil, and found this. It has kind of a split cup, almost looks like a daffodil double. I don't think this is that common of a daff-and this whole grove was made up of these!

I continued on my run, and sure enough, a few miles down the trail, another patch of yellow caught my eye. I had to look carefully, but I could find the old stones of the foundation.





It was a little difficult to dig a small clump of bulbs up-with my fingers and a stick. But I managed to get some bulbs and stuffed them into my running pack.

The next location was from the road. On one of my back country roads, I could see the old chimney from the road. I had even thought to myself, "there's daffodils down there". A road cut to a natural gas well made it much easier to traverse through the multi flower rose brambles, and I procured more bulbs. Although this time I had a trowel with me, it would have been far easier to have brought a shovel!



Although the last time I had run by this house, there was no greenery showing, I had a hunch there would be daffodils around this farmhouse.





The last location I checked was more of a hunch. As I run down this road, I can see the remains of the house-which, I think sometime later, was torched. I investigated, and sure enough! Daffodils!!



The daffodil bulbs have been planted in some pots, and are currently residing in my plant room. Some have blooms, so I can see what they are, others are just like a new bought book-I can't wait to see what will bloom!




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