“I wandered lonely as a cloud, that floats on high o’er vales and hills, when all at once I saw a crowd, a host, of golden daffodils; beside the lake, beneath the trees, fluttering and dancing in the breeze…” William Wordsworth
If I had to pick one season as my favorite, it would be spring. I know most people pick summer, but I personally like promise of new beginnings; fresh starts. One of the first flowers to brave its way into the world is the daffodil, and I always feel a sense of hope when I see their tiny green leaves struggling up through the dirt. I walk every morning, and although I change my route, I do tend to walk by the same houses, and hence flowers over the course of a month. During the spring, the world seems to transform. I love to watch the progress of the daffodils as they morph from tiny leaves to an explosion of color around me.
So there is an event I wanted to make sure you knew about if you live in Northern California – Daffodil Daydreams at Filoli Gardens in Woodside California – Friday, February 22 through Sunday, February 24. You will not be disappointed if you attend. Filoli is a fabulous historic property, recognized as one of the finest remaining country estates of the early 20th century. In addition to the 654–acres which includes a 16–acre English Renaissance garden, you’ll also find a 36,000 square foot Georgian country estate that you can tour. It also turns out that two Academy Award nominated movies were filmed on the site including Heaven Can Wait and Lolita. Other productions filmed at Fioli include The Wedding Planner, Rent, Joy Luck Club and George of the Jungle.
I am an annual member and visit the gardens often. It’s spectacular to watch the gardens change over the course of the year. Also, as a member, it’s easy to pop over and walk through at a moment’s notice. So before I sign off I thought I’d share a few facts on the daffodil.
- According to Chinese legend, the daffodil is a symbol of good fortune. If a daffodil blooms in your garden on New Year’s Day, your house will have good fortune for the entire year.
- Daffodils symbolize friendship
- Daffodils first appear in recorded history around 300 BC and were grown for medicinal purposes by the ancient Greeks, Romans and Chinese.
- There is no difference between the daffodils and narcissus. The two words are synonymous.
- “Daffodil” is one word I just can’t seem to spell…
If you are in Northern California February 22 – 24th, I hope you have the opportunity to go! Here is the link for more information: http://www.filoli.org/special-events-and-exhibits/opening-event.html
PS – If you find that everyone is busy and there is no one to go with, go alone! There’s too much to see so don’t stay home. Snap a few pics, check in on Facebook and enjoy your day.
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©2013 Shelley D Spray – No content on this site (including all photography) may be reused in any fashion without written permission from the author.
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On Saturday I had the opportunity to attend Daffodil Daydreams with my amazing girlfriends. After a quick stop at Starbucks, we carpooled up highway 280 toward Filoli Gardens. What a gorgeous day. I took a number of photos and hopefully they will give you a feel for the types of flowers you can see at Filoli during the month of February and March. Although there are a few photos of tulips, most were still tight little buds which will explode into a mass of color over the next few weeks. If you missed the event this weekend, don’t worry – pick a day and head on over. You won’t be disappointed. Also, I can’t stress how wonderful an Annual Pass is. They cost $60 and for $15 extra ($85 total) you can also get a second pass so you can always bring a friend for free. Lilacs are next and you won’t to miss them!
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