The city of Boston is set to be sprinkled with yellow once again as the Parks and Recreation Department launches its annual “Boston Blooms with Daffodils” initiative. Now a staple of the community calendar since its inception in 2011, the program is designed to beautify the public ways with dollops of those friendly, trumpet-shaped flowers. This year, according to an announcement on the City's official website, over 15,000 daffodil bulbs will be up for grabs.
Community groups like individuals, civic associations, church groups, and others are encouraged to get their green thumbs ready for this citywide planting spree. In a reflection of the program’s popularity, it was reported that over 100 community groups participated last year, covering neighborhoods in a bright canvas of florals. Registration for the event has begun and will be available on a rolling basis until late September—or until the supply promptly runs out. Hoping to plant a bulb or a hundred? Get to it soon as the application deadline hits on September 28.
Participants can mark their calendars for bulb pickup on October 28 and November 4, which will set the stage for planting on the weekends of October 30 and November 6. The requisite tools for the job, however, are BYO—so don't expect the Parks Department to come shovel-ready. Detailed bulb pick-up instructions along with approved planting locations will be communicated to groups by the Parks Department.
Once the daffodils are snug in the ground, volunteers are pushed to snap pictures of their horticultural heroics and share them on social media. With the hashtag #BostonBlooms and a tag to @bostonparksdept, each contribution will digitally blossom just as the real flowers will come spring. Still gi-need more information? Reach out to the Parks Department at (617) 961-3004, or email the folks who know park life best at [email protected]. To stay current with the happenings of Boston's green spaces, add @bostonparksdept on social media platforms like X, Facebook, and Instagram, or follow @parks.boston.gov on Bluesky.
