During the darkness of Covid-19 in 2020, the River Corridor Foundation of St. Charles launched the visually rewarding Project Daffodil.
According to a press release, more than 5,000 daffodil bulbs were planted by 125 dedicated volunteers around Mr. Eggwards’ sculpture along the western edge of Mount St. Mary Park in St. Charles. As the winter snow melted, the community was rewarded with a dazzling display of mixed daffodil flowers that became a destination for families and cameras.
“We are proud to announce the continuation of the Project Daffodil initiative with the support of our title sponsor, Heinz Brothers Greenhouse Garden Center and the St. Charles Park District,” project coordinator John Rabchuk said in the release. River Corridor Foundation of St. Charles.
On October 15, the River Corridor Foundation plans to plant an additional 5,000 daffodil bulbs adjacent to the 2021 and 2022 planting areas, bringing the total to over 15,000 daffodil bulbs. The Foundation also plans to plant another 150 native Virginia bluebells in the new planting area, which will add another dimension to the exhibit next spring.
“The daffodils and bellflowers will multiply on their own over the years, which will only add to the bountiful springtime spectacle,” Rabchuk said. “We have been blessed with the active support of volunteers from groups such as St. Charles Kiwanis, the Pottawatomie Garden Club, school district D303 administrative staff as well as neighborhood groups throughout the community. Planting is usually done in less than an hour and a half and the volunteers are all having fun.
The River Corridor Foundation is looking for volunteers and sponsors to help ensure the success of the Project Daffodil initiative. Online registration is open at projectdaffodilstc.com.
Volunteers of all ages and abilities are needed for planting, coordinating tools, distributing bulbs, etc. Detailed planting responsibilities and requirements are listed on the website.
Planting tools will be provided, although volunteers are encouraged to bring additional tools that they are familiar with. Sponsors are encouraged to provide financial support and materials to ensure the success of the planting.
“The Daffodil Project volunteers had a great time and I’m sure each of them visited the site several times this spring to view and capture the exhibit they created,” said the President of River Corridor. , Laurel Moad, in the release. “With the help of the St. Charles Public Works Department, we will be pre-drilling holes for the bulbs in the rocky areas along the bike path to speed up the planting process.”
Sponsorship requests can be made by emailing [email protected] Additional information about the St. Charles River Corridor Foundation is available at stcrivercorridor.org.