ITHACA, N.Y.—An expansive field of 37,000 daffodils greets drivers and walkers along Taughannock Boulevard and the Inlet this spring, the beginning of an effort to turn Ithaca into a “daffodil city.”
The new blooms are an effort by the City of Ithaca, Cornell University professor Dr. Bill Miller (whose mass planting device is assisting the project) and the Ithaca Garden Club to plant many more daffodils around the city, an effort that will last three years. Find out ways to get involved here.
“In many cultures, daffodils represent joy, mirth, and hope,” said IGC President Diane Childs. “Daff-a-Dazzle will not only promote these wonderful feelings, but can also create a new spring tradition for generations of Ithacans to come—a visit to see and enjoy the daffodils.”
“It’s a project everyone can take part in and enjoy the results,” said Tom Knipe, City of Ithaca Director of Economic Development. “Everyone can plant daffodils or other bulbs in their spaces— whether a garden, schoolyard, or business—as well as support bigger public plantings that will make our city a destination for springtime visitors.”
The IGC purchased the first of 12,000 daffodils and over 5,000 muscari and crocus, all planted by Miller’s machine in fall 2020, at the direction of City Forester Jean Grace regarding where the most advantageous places to plant would be.
