Land Between the Lakes invites the public to return the daffodil bulbs displaced by the US68/KY80 highway construction project in March 2007. The volunteer workday is on November 15. There's also an opportunity to plant any daffodils anytime through November 23 at areas marked off by small orange pin flags. Daffodil volunteer coordinator Jan Culwell speaks with Kate Lochte on Sounds Good about the effort.
In 2007, during construction on the highway, Land Between the Lakes offered for the daffodils to be "re-homed" before paving over the space. Then, it was open to people who used to live between the rivers, and eventually to the general public. Master gardener Jan Culwell says she took several bulbs and planted them on the side of her house with the intent of returning them one day. She says that fewer than 1,000 bulbs from that space can be accounted for and hopes that people will come forward with their bulbs to return to them to the native space.
"It's a small way to honor the heritage of the people that occupied that land."
Culwell says that the flowers used to be planted in straight rows - on the edges of walkways and around homes - and served as a reminder of the people who used to live there. In many places in rural America, one can find flowers blooming in rows, and is often the only remnant of someone who lived there and cared for the flowers.
The volunteer work day is Saturday, November 18. You can also plant your own daffodils anytime through November 23 at areas marked off by small orange pin flags where the roads divide after the bridges at the western and eastern entry points.
Contact Land Between the Lakes daffodil volunteer coordinator Jan Culwell at 270-924-0363, or janculwell@bellsouth.net to let her know that you will help replant daffodils displaced by the US68/KY80 highway construction project in March 2007.
