Daffodils bloom as crowds return to popular flower field

Apr 18, 2022

After two years of Covid-related closures, daffodils are blooming and attendance is once again booming at the Dartmouth Natural Resource Trust’s Parsons Reserve.

The display has drawn visitors from near and far for decades. 

According to the DNRT, the daffodil field was first planted by a man named Raymond Pettey in the mid-1940s. He sought to sell them during World War II to capitalize on a shortage of bulbs from Holland.

Following the war, the daffodils remained and have bloomed in the field off Horseneck Road for more than seven decades. 

Since the property is such a big draw, the reserve had to be closed in 2020 and 2021 to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Now, with case levels remaining relatively low, families are once again hitting the trail to see the flowers. In just the first weekend alone, the field saw 1,700 patrons pass through the field.

“It’s really cool to see this place filled,” Daffodil Ranger Evan Murray said. “And with school vacation, we’re expecting a big turnout.”

While the field is still a few days from reaching peak bloom, Murray noted that the daffodils have begun to blossom about a week earlier than they typically do at the end of April.

The daffodil ranger said it is believed this early growth was the result of some tree collapses that happened during the winter.

“In past years, it’s always been a bit shaded in,” he said. “With the tree loss, things have kind of opened up and allow the chance for some more sun.”

Just between this past Thursday and Friday, Murray noted that he saw a big surge in flowers opening up near the field’s entrance.

“It’s all happening before our very eyes,” he said.

Parsons Reserve is located on Horseneck Road, south of Russells Mills Village, and is open from 8 a.m. through 7 p.m., seven days a week. Parking is available at Russells Mills Landing and, if full, in an additional marked area south of the landing.

There is an 8 to 10 minute hike through the woods from the parking area to the field. This trail is steep and is not suitable for strollers, wagons, or wheelchairs.

Admission is free for DNRT members and a $5 donation for non-members.

“Hopefully the flowers are still here for the members to enjoy,” Murray said with a laugh.