More on Daffodils and Tulips

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I discovered Ironstone Vineyards a few years ago when I went to the Northern California Daffodil Society’s Annual Mother Lode Daffodil Show. I’ve always loved daffodils. To me, they are one of the most cheerful and happiest flowers. I remember reading William Wordsworth’s poem about daffodils in junior high school before I really knew what a daffodil looked like. The first paragraph starts….

I wandered lonely as a cloud,
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

If you love daffodils and tulips, I suggest you plan a trip to Ironstone Vineyard’s gardens in Murphy California between March and early May. They have hundreds and hundreds of flowers in their garden. It’s a great location if you are an inspiring photographer. But for a daffodil lover, it’s an amazing little piece of heaven. I had never seen such large variety of daffodils or tulips blooming in one location in every possible shape and size! The display of flowers is amazing in large masses of colors and blooms. And all the planters are individually labeled. Their gardening staff replaces entire planters as the flowers start to fade. It’s definitely worth the drive. Ironstone Winery also has a tasting room, a museum, a deli and they host outdoor concerts. It’s about 1 mile from the little town of Murphy, which is a great place to stop to shop and to eat. Murphy’s has several very nice restaurants. We stayed at the bed and breakfast called Dunbar House and had a great romantic weekend getaway.

For more information and directions to Ironstone Vineyards visit their website at: http://www.ironstonevineyards.com/index.cfm , and don’t forget to check out their garden blog. It has photos of this year’s daffodil festival. For more information on the Northern California Daffodil Society visit their website at http://www.daffodil.org/ncds/shows.htm. Happy Trails ~

Ironside Vineyards (photos by Esther Blanco)