Newport Daffodillion Giving Away Free Bulbs Saturday

Newport is plugging away at planting a million daffodills across the city. The Daffodillion project has been transforming spots and plots into waving yellow meadows, making the City by the Sea in springtime a real visual treat.

So far they’ve planted 384,000, so there’s still a lot more planting left to go to reach that goal. To get there, Newporters across the city have to join the effort and plant some bulbs. The folks behind Daffodillion can’t do it alone.

But they have made it easy for people to take part. Just come to Easton’s Beach from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17. Or, go to Ballard Park from 5 to 6 p.m. before movie night in the park begins.

“I want to make sure all Newporters have a chance to pick up their bulbs,” said John Hirschboeck, project director for Daffodillion. “I have 50,000 I need to give away!”

The project was launched in 2006 and efforts have resulted in explosions of color during the spring along the Newport Cliff Walk, Easton’s Beach, the Meeting House and on the J.T. Connell Highway roundabout.

The bulbs are given away for free, though the organization is always thankful for donations. Go to to www.Daffodillion.com for pledge form.

Each person in this giveaway will get a bag of two dozen bulbs.

The giveaway is limited Newport residents, organizations and businesses, for obvious reasons.