Don’t Miss: 25,000 Daffodils Blooming at Tower Hill Botanic Garden

Thursday, April 11, 2013

GoLocalWorcester Features Team

One of the most frequently asked questions this time of year at Tower Hill Botanic Garden is "When will the daffodils bloom?"

Tower Hill is home to numerous collections of plants, but with the return of spring, the flowering bulbs are among the most dramatic. Over the years, volunteers and staff members have continually added daffodil bulbs to a large field to the east of the Systematic Garden, and overlooking the Wildlife Refuge Pond. When this field of more than 25,000 daffodils comes into bloom in late April, it is a dramatic sight to behold, and many flock to the garden to experience this "field of gold" and take photographs.

What's blooming right now

The earliest cultivar in the field of daffodils, 'Rijnveld's Early Sensation', began showing color just this past weekend and is looking quite nice right now. As the weather warms up the other 13 cultivated varieties that are in the field will begin to work their magic.

Throughout the Garden there are more than 150 cultivars of Daffodils, mostly planted in clumps of 25-50. The bloom period generally peaks between the 3rd week of April and the 1st week of May, and it looks to be right on schedule this year--unlike last year (2012) when nearly everything was a month early. Usually there is a late variety or two still blooming in late May but they are the exception. There are also some "Tete-a-Tetes" blooming in the Systematic Garden, and some funny little "Rip Van Winkles" in bloom in the Cottage Garden.

Another question visitors frequently ask is "What are the little blue flowers in bloom everywhere?" Generally what visitors are seeing in the Garden now are Glory-of-the-Snow (Chionodoxa forbesii) with up-facing blue flowers and a white center, and Siberian Squill (Scilla sibirica) with deeper blue, down-facing bells.

Ready to wander the fields? Tower Hill Botanic Garden, located at 11 French Drive in Boylston, is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Members are admitted free, otherwise admission is $12 for adults, $9 for seniors and $7 for youth 6-18, children under 6 admitted free. During April Vacation Week (April 13-21) all Youth under 18 are admitted FREE. Call ahead for directions, group rates and special tours. The main information line is 508-869-6111, or visit the website at www.towerhillbg.org.