Merrick Daffodil, Bluffton SC
“UPickDaffodils” Bluffton SC
“Mommy, it’s daffodils like Minnie’s garden!” The words excitedly spilled out of my 3yr old daughters’ mouth as she tugged my hand hard & sent us running to the rows of yellow ahead. That was 4yrs ago, & my daughter’s obsession with all things Minnie has long since faded, but I can still hear the sound of her sweet, raspy, toddler voice with every visit to Bluffton’s, UPickDaffodiles Farm. And each time my fondness grows for the memory of a cold, spring day some time ago when we decided to venture out for a handpicked bouquet.
Maybe it’s due to my nostalgic heart, or just my love for nature & God’s beauty, but gosh, do I love this yearly tradition of kicking off my favorite season with a stroll down yellow & green lined, dirt paths. Sometimes hand in hand, sometimes chasing after my, eager to pick, children. The distinct, sweet smell permeating the air & yellow splash of color basically announce the arrival of spring here in the lowcoutry, & there’s no better place to experience it than 48 Calhoun Plantation Rd.
If you haven’t paid this precious, little acreage a visit, you would be remiss not to before the blooms close for season. While it may not have expansive fields or fancy celebrations like some flower farms; it is simple, & beautiful, & ours. A lowcountry gem oozing of southern hospitality from the Bluffton family that has owned & operated the land since 1848. From the elderly gentleman who greeted us with a “Howdy Ya’ll”, to the young woman who helped my children find the “perfect color” buckets, right down to the chatty & helpful middle school boys who processed our flowers & gently tucked their stems in a bag of water. No part of our visit ever lacks in the small-town pleasantries you’d expect to find outside big city limits.
As the world grows crazier by the minute, I’m extra grateful for the beautiful moments born out of simple adventures like this. Watching my son coerce a ladybug to his finger, my daughter comparing blooms with a friend, & my favorite- lowering myself to my now 3yr old son’s height to kiss his cheek & see the flowers from his point of view. The rows look longer, the blooms bigger, & as I bury my face in a cluster, I savor the soft scent, only slightly shrouded by the smell of wet earth beneath us. It’s the reason we came. The reason we didn’t go to a stuffy movie theater or busy bowling alley that Saturday. It will be the memory that surfaces in my mind every time I walk in my kitchen & smell the blooms before I spot them on my counter. The mental souvenir I’ll hold onto long after the blooms have withered, & the reason we’ll never miss a visit to this special place.
So here’s your reminder to slow down today, to stop & smell the…daffodils. It’s spring, & I’m pretty sure the Great Philosopher’s mentioned something along the lines of Spring being for frolicking, & what better place to frolic than a flower field? So, check my tips for visiting the farm below, & then head out to create your own forever memories.
Things to Know Before You Go
(See below for tips & info)
1. While they’re open daily 9am-4pm throughout the season, you’ll want to check the website, UPickDaffodis.com, or their Facebook page before you go to be sure they’re open, as they occasionally close to await more blooms.
2. Flowers are 50 cents per stem if you opt to pick yourself, or $9 for a 15 stem pre picked bunch.
3. I recommend going in the morning & avoiding mid-day when they lose the most water & are more prone to wilting.
4. Cut or snap flowers at the base, & choose ones that have longer stems, they’ll last longer. I also like to take some that haven’t opened all the way yet, so I can watch them bloom over their vase life.
5. There’s little shade & lots of nature, including the kind with wings & an appetite for blood, so don’t forget the sunscreen & bug repellent!
6. Don’t forget to take pictures! You’ll treasure sweet days like this forever!
