Three fund-raising events during the 4th Annual Newport Daffodil Days Festival raised over $33,000 for Daffodillion’s annual free bulb give-away at Easton’s Beach on October 14th and for planting by the city and volunteers this fall, according to festival organizers.
Additional proceeds will go to the Tree Society’s Heritage Tree program, part of Newport’s Arboretum.
“Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Ronald Lee Fleming and the many attendees and celebrants at the Festival’s Spring Fling, the donors dinner and a garden party at Bellevue House, we raised sufficient funds to at least match last year’s planting,” according to John Hirschboeck, Daffodillion’s Project Director. “At this rate, we’ll be able to reach our 1 million ‘daffy’ goal in two years.”
Daffodillion has now donated and helped plant over 680,000 daffodil bulbs as part of its all-volunteer, city beautification effort, part of the Alliance for a Livable Newport. The retail value of the bulbs exceeds over $500,000.
As the bright yellow blooms start to fade, all are encouraged not to cut the green leaves and stems for 4 weeks, as the plants need time to replenish their nutrients.
For more information on Daffodillion, visit www.Daffodillion.com.
