An early spring has sprung with blossoms at English Bay
VANCOUVER At English Bay, more than 30,000 daffodils are trumpeting the arrival of spring.
They ’ve started blooming bright yellow on two south-facing hillsides. One is close to the Inukshuk and the other, farther east near Sunset Beach.
The star-shaped flowers are known as Rijnveld Early Sensation.
They’re called trumpet daffodils because of their big, six-sided, star-shaped petals and dramatic funnel cup.
Howard Normann, director of parks at the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, loves them.
“These ones are just so special because they’re out in January. I love them,” he said. “The idea was to put smiles on people’s faces.”
The daffodils are a big hit with tourists and locals alike. On any given day, numerous passersby will stop and record digital images of the thousands of blooming daffodils to post on social media.
When the rain holds off and the sun comes out, people even come by to have their lunch by the flowers, Normann said.
“If you see how many people stop and enjoy them, it’s crazy,” he said.
“Where else can you come around a corner in January and send a photo to a friend in Winnipeg or Toronto or St. John’s and say: ‘I know we had a bit of snow, but look what we got now.’ ”
This is the third season the mass plantings of daffodils have bloomed.
Normann got the idea while he accompanied his son’s rugby team on a tour of Wales.
As they were leaving Cardiff for the next town, he noticed thousands and thousands of daffodils along the roadway.
“They looked awesome,” he said. “I thought: ‘We’ve got to find a place to do this in Vancouver.’ ”
Back home, he talked to his staff about what he saw in Wales and looked for the right locations.
The two banks were chosen because they’re both too steep to safely mow.
An added bonus of daffodils is that not only are they perennials, but the bulbs multiply. Originally they were planted in clumps of three or four. Now, several groupings have more than doubled. Some are up to more than 10 flowers.
“Tulips last one, two years and start to fade,” he said.
“These guys will keep coming back year after year.”