The Golden Ticket
OSGF
The American Daffodil Society has local roots. Prior to its formation, events were primarily organized by members of the Maryland Daffodil Society, the Garden Club of Virginia, and the Washington Daffodil Society. Then, after a call was made in a gardening magazine, the first national meeting was held in nearby Maryland. From 1954 on, it has grown continuously and now spans to almost all 50 states with eight distinct regions and hosts members from across the globe. A centerpiece of the society are the Daffodil Shows, which take place throughout the country during peak daffodil bloom time.
Last year, Horticultural Apprentice (HA) Thomas Bardoff had a small foray into showing but this year Thomas and new HA Bennett Meeks took it a step further and decided to both enter the Upperville Daffodil Show, hosted in conjunction with the American Daffodil Society. Through visits with garden club members and even a trip to a place now known as Daffodil City, USA they came away with more than just winning daffodils.
On a windy spring day in late March, Thomas and Bennett made their way to an Upperville Garden Club meeting. Upon entering, the foyer was lined with tables on either side, packed with daffodils and beautifully composed seasonal arrangements. The meeting was one wall over, in the living room (some meetings are held in public venues, other members host meetings in their homes). After some brief proceedings it was down to business. Taking center floor, member Carol began discussing what it takes to have a winning daffodil.
“If the head’s too high, you can just hold it a little by its neck”
In her hand, she’s holding a single stemmed daffodil, demonstrating how, with some daffodils, you can gently encourage their bloom to be at a right angle so that it meets your eye. This is just one of many insights Carol shares with the Upperville Garden Club members. Another revelation that receives an animated response from members is that for shorter stems (which judges knock off points for), you can ‘frankenstein’ a longer stem from a different daffodil to give it height. This information is all based on her years of experience both growing and showing daffodils. Thomas and Bennett stay afterwards to glean as much information as they can in preparation for their own showing. Of course she’s modest, sharing that some members are leaps ahead of her but the blue ribbons say enough.
Another tidbit shared is to put cotton balls in the corona’s (the trumpet part of a daffodil) to help maintain their shape.
Flower shows are an exciting moment when the worlds of novice and expert gardeners meet as a way for enthusiasts and community members to come together over a shared love: plants. Every show is different but they come with a substantial list of guidelines for exhibitors and judges. For daffodil shows, it’s no different. The genus Narcissus is diverse and thus over the years has been divided into 13 different divisions. For showing, knowing which division you fall into is helpful not only because it’s all but required for entry but also because it will dictate what criteria the flowers are judged on. Knowing which daffodils you’re growing can be a challenge, which is why sometimes you need to go to the source. That source being Daffodil City, USA.
Daffodils also have deep roots in the town of Gloucester. European colonists first brought over the bulbs from England and it’s said that the women sewed them into the hems of their skirts. These soon began to naturalize in the sandy, well-draining soils dominating the region. The man largely responsible for the now-inextricable link to daffodils arrived in Gloucester (c. 1900) not in search of daffodils, but melons. Charles Heath was living in New York when he was served the best cantaloupe he’d ever tasted, so much so that he sought out the exact farmer, who sent him a case every week. Charles received an invitation to visit the farm in Virginia where they were grown and liked what he saw.
“Bother the cantaloupes … I’m thinking of daffodils. If daffodils grow wild here, just imagine what you’d get if you cultivated them.”
With his sights set, Charles then purchased Auburn Plantation in 1900 (which would later be owned by John Lennon and Yoko Ono) and began his daffodil business with bulbs purchased from M. Van Waveren & Sons. Things took off for Charles in 1926, when the USDA placed an embargo on Dutch bulbs to prevent the spread of harmful nematodes. This shift introduced partnerships with Dutch growers that put the small town of Gloucester on the map as Daffodil City USA. during the ‘30s and ‘40s. Eventually, the operation was taken over by his son, George Heath (an early director of the American Daffodil Society) who later sold the Daffodil Mart in 1972 to his son, Brent, to form Brent and Becky’s.
When they arrive at the Gloucester Daffodil Club meeting, co-owner Brent Heath is standing at the center of the room with his hand in a crate of daffodils reaching down to snap one off at the base. According to Brent, it’s the best way to pick them. After introductions the team sits down at a table with longtime member Peggy who immediately begins sharing her knowledge. Everything from cleaning petals (technically tepals) with a Q-tip dipped in milk, to post-harvest water temperature (warm water first, immediately after picking, then cold if you’re picking day-of), to materials is discussed. “There’s a big brouhaha about staging material and not using boxwood” she shares. Another longtime member sitting at the table, Danielle, has been showing for five years. She and Peggy both share the community outreach the club has done, planting close to 200,000 bulbs in the community, and partnerships with local churches and schools.
After the meeting co-owner Becky arrives and leads the three on a tour of their gardens. The evening light pours over everything as the former teacher describes how each bed was constructed and the various planned themes. Despite being a bulb nursery, there are plenty of other woodies and herbaceous perennials flowering throughout like quince, cherries, and hellebores. One last stop before the drive back to Upperville was made at the Garden Plot, which showcases bulbs featured in Brent and Becky’s most recent catalogs.
Back in Upperville with full notepads and brains steeped in daffodils, Thomas and Bennett prepared their entries. Then, on a Tuesday afternoon, the Garden Team made their way to the Upperville Daffodil Show to see the results.
Combined, eight daffodils were entered into the show pulled together from their home gardens and the duo walked away with seven ribbons in total! What did they think about the experience? Thomas shared his revelations about the show, “every minor detail is taken into consideration when judging. It’s a very vast world to take a dive into and having the time with the garden clubs really helped me learn the terminology, preparation, storing, and how to choose the right daffodil!” . For both Bennett and Thomas one of the best parts of this experience was connecting with garden club members, sharing their time and knowledge. Planning for next year’s show is already in the works too, “Firstly, my organization will be completely different so I can easily differentiate daffodils when it comes time to pick them” Bennett shares. “Additionally, I will have many more varieties and submissions since it feels like I have discovered a whole new world that I can't wait to get my hands on.”
“They were all so happy to see Bennett and me taking an interest in the show and were delighted to pass along any tips and tricks they had to us. I couldn’t be more appreciative of the time they gave us.”
Special thanks to the Upperville and Gloucester Garden Club members, along with Brent and Becky for their time and knowledge.
References:
2018 Historic Garden Week: Gloucester/Mathews House and Garden Tour. thehouseandhomemagazine.com. (2018, April 4). Retrieved May, 2023, from http://thehouseandhomemagazine.com/culture/2018-historic-garden-week-gloucestermathews-house-and-garden/
Anthony, M. (2021). Mathews County. Birding Virginia. Retrieved May, 2023, from https://birdingvirginia.org/mathews
Seney, F. D. (1965). George W. Heath of Gloucester, VA. The Daffodil Journal, 22–25. Retrieved 2023, from https://dafflibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/George-W.-Heath-of-Gloucester-VA-Franklin-D.-Seney-The-Daffodil-Journal-September-1965.pdf.
Stevenson, C. (1956, March). Gold Was Where He Found It. The Reader's Digest.
Swenson, B. (2013). Poplar Grove; Imagine There’s No Tide Mill. Abandoned Country. Retrieved May 2023, from https://www.abandonedcountry.com/2013/10/21/poplar-grove-imagine-theres-no-tide-mill/