My and my mother’s weekend adventure was strolling once again through the beautiful Bryn Du Mansion at the 70th Annual Daffodil Show and Sale, held by the Granville (Ohio) Garden Club. Creativity and dedication to gardening and especially the cultivation of daffodils were in evidence throughout the rooms. The theme of the show this year was “Daffodil Show 1945: Back to Our Future.”
Nineteen forty-five was the year of the very first daffodil show, and even with the austerity of the Second World War, daffodils were gracing yards and gardens in our little town. The show celebrated the presence of “daffs” in our lives then and now by staging household vignettes that might have been seen at the end of WWII. These included a kitchen, a victory garden, a living room and a floor radio. I had to smile a little as a young mother tried to explain what radio was to her little boy and girl. I was touched by lovely photos on display of servicemen and women from our area.
A large part of the show was dedicated to tables of daffodil creations by Granville residents from their own gardens. The arrangements ran the gamut from very elaborate to super simple single stems and were inspired by literature, movies and fashions from the 1940s. I loved them all but my favorites are here. It was a marvelous photo opportunity. Flowers are seldom awkward or camera-shy.
The show also had several large rooms devoted to judging daffodil specimens. I never knew there were so many in the world!
Most fascinating to me are the miniature varieties. They are perfectly formed, much tinier versions of the larger flowers.
In addition to all the inspiration from the gardeners, there were some shopping opportunities for a good cause. I bought a nice poster, and bulbs are for sale for autumn delivery and planting. Proceeds benefit the Garden Club. My mom was able to select a small bouquet of 8-10 blooms for free. (But we did give a little donation.) We were told by a garden club member that when re-cutting daffodils to fit a vase you should never use scissors because it can crush their hollow stems. Instead use a serrated knife. More daffodil fun facts:
- Squirrels, rodents and deer do not eat daffodils or their bulbs
- Daffodil bulbs are long-lasting–perhaps several generations
- Daffodils will grow under shallow-rooted ground covers like vinca
I hope you have enjoyed the images and info. Does your local garden club hold any interesting events? Have you participated?
Projects & Promises 