This is peak fall foliage time. The wonder of nature is on display all over town. It’s an amazing, spectacular, all-too-brief moment that makes us realize, yeah, Westport really is someplace special.
So why is Debra Kandrak thinking of daffodils?
The yellow bulbs are an early sign of spring. But they’re planted in autumn. Debra wants Westporters to plant thousands of them soon.
A while back, she started a memory garden on her property, in honor of loved ones lost.
She has hundreds of daffodils, and adds more each year. Just when winter seems to drag drearily on,up they pop. (And even if it snows again, they survive. They’re a lot tougher than they look!)
Debra would like to see daffodils everywhere — not just on her property, Willowbrook Cemetery and random other spots.
“Daffodil Mile” at Willowbrook Cemetery.
She’s started a campaign: “Paint the Town Yellow.” If residents, business owners and town officials participate, she says, “it would be a beautiful thing.”
Both literally and figuratively.
“Imagine driving through Westport and seeing thousands of daffodils around mailboxes, on the roadside, in front of stores,” she says. “It would be so pretty. And they can be in honor of loved ones, so they’re even more meaningful.”
She reached out to landlords David Waldman and Roger Leifer. They’re on board. So are Laurelrock and Northeast Horticulture, which maintain several traffic islands.
Debra is waiting to hear back from the Westport Downtown Merchants Association, and Parks & Rec.
Haskins Preserve’s daffodils and dogwoods — a lovely combination.
Now is the perfect time to plant daffodils. So as soon as you finish raking leaves, put some bulbs in the earth.
Then grab some apple cider, light a fire, and wait till spring. It will be worth it.
PS: Debra says that daffodils are deer-proof. There’s no better reason to start planting now!
A worthy cause and perhaps will evolve into a worthy soulmate to Greenfield Hill’s Dogwood Festival.
Nantucket has had a daffodil festival for 45 years! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Westport had one also? I plan to make my “Paint the Town Yellow” a yearly event. Each year in support of a different cause. Please join me in my endeavor.
Thank you Dan Woog for the lovely article.
Yes, thank you Dan & Debra! A lovely project & theme- to remember lost loved ones.
The Westport Garden Club will be planting daffodils at the gardens we maintain. Looks for lots of yellow in the spring. Thanks for the great idea Debra
The Parent Child Center at the former Hillspoint Elementary School will be planting 1,000 daffodils along the front of this property on Saturday, Make a Difference Day. In addition, we donated 1,000 daffodils to three different organizations in Bridgeport – Curiale School, Caroline House, and the Bridgeport Downtown Special Services District. We purchased the bulbs wholesale from Colorblends in Bridgeport. The Parent Child Center includes A Child’s Place, Children’s Community Development Center, and the Learning Community Day School. #plantmoredaffodils
YES!! YES!! YES!! Maybe we can adopt yellow as our town color that symbolizes LOVE, PEACE, KINDNESS AND ACCEPTANCE !! Just a thought..but I’m so willing to plant the happy faces that greet us each spring! They love us no matter what..and the joy they bring..is unconditionally beautiful.
I want to thank everyone who is participating in my campaign. I keep hearing about more people and groups that are planting daffodils. I am humbled by this… I never thought that my idea would take off to the extent that it has.
This event is really bringing the community together in such a positive manner. I plan on making this a yearly event …each year with a new theme.
Thank you everyone and keep on planting!
Debra Kandrak
The National Charity League (NCL) 2023 Ticktockers (14year old girls) and moms will be planting yellow daffodil bulbs at Project Return on Sunday November 17th around 12:00pm. This is a wonderful community event that will hopefully inspire others. #paintthetownyellow #ncl2023