The Connecticut Daffodil Show – A Community Building Event – Returns for 68th Year Hosted by the Greenwich Daffodil Society
By Anne W. Semmes
For two dazzling days there was a host of daffodils in an astonishing array of yellow blossoms at Christ Church Greenwich Wednesday – Thursday of last week. Count the contributions of 14 garden clubs. And it was all free to see! But before the Show opened, this reporter met up with the Show’s Greenwich Daffodil Society co-chairs Cosby George and Sally Polak to learn some behind-the-scenes efforts to bring forth those dazzling daffodils.
First off, the Show would feature choices of some 30,000 cultivars of daffodils divided into 13 divisions, and each of those daffodils has a name, told Polak. “They name them now with proper names like Love You More, Buttercup, White Lady– they’re actually cool names.”
Those 13 divisions are divided into Sections from A to K, and Section A includes a contestant growing 50 varieties of daffodils! “But you can enter one stem, or three of a kind, or a collection of five, or 12, or 15, or 24,” cited co-chair Cosby George. “The most prestigious prize you can win” in the Show told George is the Carey E. Quinn Award for that last collection of 24 cultivars… And you can only win it once!” And George was this year’s winner!
Just how had Cosby George arrived at this honor. She described two nights before the Show she had on her kitchen counter some 400 daffodils. “That’s how many daffodils I’d picked over the last two weeks.” She’d placed them in “an old clunky refrigerator.” And out of those 400 she would choose “the best 24 daffodil cultivars.” As of 2023, she’d planted some 200 varieties of daffodil bulbs. “And sometimes the squirrels get them – it’s frustrating.”
“But I try and keep the bulbs in beds,” she continued, “two feet apart…and you draw a map. Like, I planted this one called Rapture… And you never plant a daffodil without putting a stake in the ground with its name and its color code.” And she usually plants “eight or 10 at a time. So, I dig a hole, I put them six inches underground, I give them a little bone fertilizer, cover it back.” And come early April, she goes “out every day and when you pick them, you just snap it at the base.”
And with her Sharpie she puts the name on every stem. So “this one’s called Emerald Empire, and this is called Misty Glen. If you don’t label them, it’s impossible to enter a daffodil show.” And positioned next to her 24 winning daffodils is her collection of 15, also winning George the Tom T. Throckmorton Ribbon!
But this year – after 15 years of growing daffodils, George awoke to an oddity of how an entry can be disqualified. In one of her categories, a bloom was missing a petal. “You know what?” she said with a smile, “I’ve never in my life counted the number of petals on a daffodil.”
George then shared cochair Sally Polak winning the Silver Bowl prize for the “Best Collection of 5 White Daffodils” plus Special Awards for two more five cultivar collections! So how many varieties does Polak grow? “Over the years I’ve planted 200 to 300,” she told, “but only like 50 come up. The weather makes a difference. I planted some in a really bad place…In my vegetable garden I put the minis because they’re more protected. Otherwise, I just put them in beds at the back of the yard. I plant them in rows so that I know what they are. They’re purely for show daffodils now.”
Greenwich Daffodil Show time
Across the expansive Christ Church Parish Hall were the rectangular tables full of daffodils of all sizes and colors, with 710 entries, of which 175 or 25 percent were from “small growers.” Add one “small” grower, Arthur Friedman, a third grader at Parkway School, winning the Michael Magut Silver Trophy Award for “Best Daffodil in Youth Section.”
Susan Schiefflin, serving as a judge for the Connecticut Daffodil Show Committee, was called forward to present the prizewinners. Schieffelin’s daffodil “Bold lad” was a prize winner in Section A, “Single Stem for Large Growers.” A 15-year show contributor, Schieffelin would be presented with an unexpected prize.
With a wall of the Parish Hall filled with brilliant photographs of daffodils, Schieffelin would name Laurel Gorman, a 5th grader at Glenville School as the Richard Trophy winner as “Best in Show Youth Photographer.”And Betsy Vitton of Greenwich Garden Club was named winner of the Carolyn Ellis Silver Bowl for “Best Floral Design.” Then came that impressive Jennifer Brown Silver Tray, “which is named for a wonderful mentor and teacher to us all, and a beloved member of Green Fingers.” And Anda Hutchins was the winner of the Novice Award of “Best Collection of 5.”
Sally Polak called out, “a special award for another very special lady called Nancy Mott – the Nancy Mott Miniature 2026 Challenge. Nancy Mott was involved for many years in the Greenwich Daffodil Society and when she died, her son let us dig up all her bulbs and so they’ve been passed all over Greenwich.” Thereupon son Alex was called up. “It’s my honor and pleasure to be here once again at the Greenwich Daffodil Show,” he said. “Susan did a great job. Cosby and Sally are doing a great job. Mom used to do a little bit of this too, but it is 30 years or more. But it’s a complete pleasure to give this award to Jane Dunn in honor of my mom.”
“And them we have this beautiful Civic Challenge Award,” told Schieffein, “won by the girls at Greenwich Academy.” With great excitement came two very young and excited Maya Taylor and Sabrina Jenkins, asked to stand next to the winning blue ribbon by Schieffelin, with “We’re so proud of you!”
Up next were twinners Joni Kimberlin and Mariann Conley of the Viveca Wehtje Trophy for “Most Blue Ribbons Section C,” with the Silver Vase for the “Best Standard Daffodil in Show” won by Susan Hinrichs,” along with her winning the Leslie Michaels Memorial Trophy for “Best Single Bloom Section C.”
Another big win came for the garden club with the most number of points. And this year,” said Polak, “the third place was Green Fingers with 220, second for Hortulus for 640, and first place for Greenwich Garden Club with 729.”
Recognizing community and individual impact
To conclude, Cosby George wished to share her take on the impact of the Connecticut Daffodil Show. “Over the past two days, we’ve met with kids and helped them fill out a card and make their entry. We’ve met with just people from the community to say, ‘What is this about? Explain it to me.’ We’ve met with the elderly who come with a caregiver in a wheelchair, and they reminisce about their own gardens. And honestly, it’s something that brings this community together.”
“So, there’s a bigger message in all this, a bigger joy,” said George, “and the daffodils are the unifying factors…So today we’re delighted to recognize somebody whose leadership, dedication, and tireless energy have meant so much to the Connecticut Daffodil Society and to turning our town yellow in the month of April. Susan Scheffelin – come join us please.“
“For the past 15 years,” continued George, “Susan has expanded our civic bulb program and singlehandedly chaired this show, which now features more than 1,500 stems. Sally and I are two. I don’t know how Susan’s done this on her own for these many years.“
“Year after year,” told George, “Susan has given countless hours to organizing, encouraging exhibitors, welcoming newcomers, teaching, sharing her knowledge and inspiring people to grow and show their daffodils. Her enthusiasm has helped our community flourish, and her efforts have ensured that this show continues to thrive. Who else would dress up like Ms. Daffodil to welcome the preschoolers every morning after the show begins? So as a small token of our gratitude we have purchased the naming rights to a daffodil in Ireland. It will be known as ‘Lady Susan.’ And it has, believe it or not, pinkish petals as well as a pink trumpet. This is a rare and distinctive combination and a fitting reflection of how truly unique you are to this organization.”
