Bell Buckle blossoms for Daffodil Day

You know it's spring when the four-wheelers get stuck in the mud down by Normandy, when the skunks come out to play in the middle of the road at night, and when the daffodils start blooming.

They are blooming now and Bell Buckle is welcoming the flowers -- and the seasons -- with its annual Daffodil Day on Saturday.

"Over 100 years ago, Webb School's founder and first headmaster, Sawney Webb, made sure that Bell Buckle came alive with the first warm days of Spring by planting hundreds of daffodils around the campus and town," said Jenny Hunt, of the town's Chamber of Commerce and an alderwoman as well. "Those hundreds have now turned into thousands, bringing warmth and happiness with every bloom."

Not to mention tourists ... last year, despite unseasonable frigid, wet weather, hundreds of visitors came to the town where they visited the shops -- all heavily decorated in a daffodil and spring theme. Phillips General Store will hold the annual Spring Open House on Friday beginning at 5 p.m. The Spring Open House is a Bell Buckle tradition at Phillips with local food fare offered Friday from 5-9 p.m. at Bluebird Antiques and Ice Cream Parlor featuring the flavors of Captain Rodney's jellies, glazes, and dressings. The Open House festivities continue throughout the Daffodil Day weekend on Saturday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday from 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.

One new facet to the weekend is a demonstration by local artist Gina Witten, who will be working on silver clay at Designz By You, where her artwork/jewelry is on display.

Of course, Daffodil Day is all about the plants -- and shoppers can even buy the flowers from vendors outside. In the Bell Buckle Banquet Hall, they could get plants without even paying. The celebration, which has been part of the town's calendar for more than three decades, also includes the observation of the state Arbor Day, and free saplings are given away every year.

"Bell Buckle will celebrate its 10th year as a Tree City USA with Duck River Agency celebrating their sixth year as a Tree Line USA," said Hunt. "Bell Buckle is proud to be the smallest town in the state of Tennessee to earn Tree City USA status. Trees are one of our most valuable resources and are a source of joy and spiritual renewal."

To further celebrate the value of our tree lined town, she added, this year Bell Buckle will begin recognizing notable trees within the town by designating one tree within the city as a tree of historic significance.

A highlight of the day is the flower show. Entries will be accepted from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

The Arbor Day ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. and the winners will be announced after.

Daffodil Show

1. Entries will be accepted from 1- 2:30 p.m. Saturday

2. The show is open to all exhibitors. Entries must be from the exhibitor's own garden.

3. There is no limit to the number of entries per class by any exhibitor as long as each entry is

a different variety.

4. All entries must be staged in the test tube and block provided; entry tags must be filled out

and attached with rubber band.

5. All entries should be wedged with boxwood provided by the show committee or the exhibitor.

Division I Specimen Classes

Section A Single Specimens

Class 1 All one bloom per stem daffodils - yellow

Class 2 All one bloom per stem daffodils - white

Class 3 All one bloom per stem daffodils, any other color or combination of colors

Class 4 All double flowered daffodils

Class 5 All multiple bloom per stem daffodils

Class 6 The Bell Buckle Challenge - Open only to Bell Buckle residents. Your best bloom, any type.

Class 7 The Middle Tennessee Daffodil Society Challenge. Open to any member of MTDS. No limit on the

number of entries but each must be a different variety. Entries will be placed by division.

Section B

Youth Any type of daffodil. All exhibitors in this class must have had some part in the growing of the

daffodil, whether planting, watering, fertilizing, or cutting for the show.

Class 8 Youth from ages up to 10 years old

Class 9 Youth from ages 11 to 18

Section C Collections

Class 10 Collections having three stems of the same or different varieties.

Class 11 All collections of more than three stems, the same or different cultivars in one container.

Class 12 Youth collections of three the same or different varieties. Restricted to exhibitors 10 - 18 years of

age.

Class 13 Youth collections of more than three the same or different varieties. Restricted to exhibitors under

10 years of age.

Class 14 MTDS Collections. A collection having three of the same variety exhibited in one container. Entries

will be placed by division only.

Division II Daffodil Arrangements

Section D Design

All entries in design must conform to the height requirement and must not exceed 24" in width. Other plant

material is allowed, but daffodils must dominate.

Class 15 Small arrangements not to exceed 10" tall

Class 16 Medium arrangements 10 - 24" tall

Class 17 Large Arrangements over 24" tall

Class 18 Youth Arrangements - any size -- exhibitors must be under 18 years of age.

Class 19 Senior Arrangements - any size -- exhibitors must be age 70 or older.