The Daffodil Field

By Jane Hulton-Harrop

My husband and I have farmed together in the Gatten Valley for some 30 years. We have been commercial farmers but have also planted thousands of trees, miles of hedgerows and been part of environmental schemes to encourage wildlife from curlew to orchids.

With 500 acres at our disposal, we decided that we could plant a field with daffodils and that hopefully people would donate to Marie Curie over the next 50 years or so if they enjoyed visiting the display in the spring and perhaps remembering someone special.

So in the Autumn of 2015 a lorry arrived with 170,000 Carlton daffodil bulbs and a very clever machine to plant them. See photos of the planting process. All finished by 5pm, we couldn’t do anything else but wait to see them flower in spring 2016.

Four years later the daffodils are still going strong. If you’d like to visit them, they can found in the Gatten Valley at SY5 0SJ (Grid reference: SO 394 000).

There is a car park adjacent to the field and benches to relax on while walking round. We kindly ask you to make a donation to Marie Curie, which can be done at the site or via Just Giving at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/daffodilfield.

Thank you, we look forward to seeing you there!