Overview:

Virginians and daffodils have a long history, if on occasion a bit of a dubious one. The glory of having one’s favorite flower on an early colonists’ ship has enticed writers, both northern and southern, to confabulate “just so” stories long on romance, but short on proof. Be that as it may, daffodils do appear in colonial era garden journals, correspondence and, best of all, in a few garden remnants.

Join horticulturalist and plant historian Sara Van Beck for a deep dive into the tantalizing tale of the regional promience of daffodils. Happily, daffodils maintained a presence in Virginians’ gardens through the Victorian era into the early twentieth century, contributing to the establishment of daffodils as a commercial bulb crop. Notably, the Garden Club of Virginia’s 1924 seminal effort Historic Gardens of Virginia helped cement daffodils as worthy garden flower, past and future. Combined, these narratives and social influences encapsulate the broad history of daffodils in American gardens, as seen in the verdant gardens of Virginia.

Tickets: $30