Daffodil Hill

When I think of spring, I think of yellow: African daisies, poppies, oxalis, tidy-tips, and daffodils. And one of my favorite things to do in early spring is taking a road trip to Volcano to visit McLaughlin's Daffodil Hill.

Daffodil Hill is part of a ranch that has been owned by the McLaughlin family since the late 1800s. History has it that the family bought the ranch from Pete Denzer, who was originally from Holland, and who planted daffodils to remind him of his homeland. Mrs. McLaughlin loved the daffodils. Each year she would divide and then replant the daffodil bulbs, and each year the flower display grew more spectacular. Today the daffodils cover 7 acres, and her great-grandchildren, the current ranch owners, continue to plant thousands of bulbs each year.

Sometime in the 1940s, the display became a destination for visitors in early spring. My husband and I go almost every year. We would go every year, but Daffodil Hill doesn't always get a chance to open to the public for visitation. Last year the flowers just started to bloom in late February, and they were pelted by rain, hail, sleet, and snow through March. The flowers didn't recover in time for the Hill to reopen. Another year we went on the last day of the single week they were able to be open. Most years they are open for 3 to 4 weeks starting sometime in March. Visitation is very weather-dependent. The trails through the garden are packed clay and get quite slick in the rain. Since the display is on a hillside, for safety reasons, Daffodil Hill is not open when it is raining or when it has recently rained. When it is open, the display is glorious and well worth the drive. Wear layers, pack a picnic lunch and plan to take lots of pictures. Check before driving up there to see if they are going to be open that day. Parking is free and available across the road from the gardens. Pets are not allowed. Entry is also free, but donations are gladly accepted. I usually check their Facebook page to see if they will be open. You can also call. Take a look on Facebook now, and you will see a picture of the entire hillside covered in a thick blanket of snow. It may be a while before they open.

photos by Michelle Davis