Daffodil Hill Will See Reduced Bloom This Spring

Lake View Cemetery announced that its iconic Daffodil Hill will see a significantly reduced bloom this spring, marking another natural lull in one of the site’s most beloved seasonal displays.

First established in 1941, through a donation of daffodil bulbs from Dr. William Weir, the hillside has long drawn thousands each spring with its sweeping blanket of yellow blooms. This year, however, many bulbs have produced green foliage with relatively few flowers. Cemetery staff say the issue is not disease or pests, but soil that has gradually lost nutrients over time.

“This is not the first time we’ve had to refresh and replant,” says Lake View President and CEO Katharine Goss. “We started to see signs last year and decided to wait and see what would happen this spring, but we didn’t expect it to be this dramatic.”

To restore the display, the cemetery is launching a multi-step plan beginning with soil fertilization this summer, followed by a large-scale replanting effort in late October through early November. 

Organizers aim to plant between 25,000 and 50,000 new bulbs, with volunteers assisting in the effort. A fundraising campaign, framed at roughly $1 per bulb, will support the project, with an anonymous donor matching contributions.

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The new plantings will include classic, large-format yellow trumpet daffodils such as Carlton, Dutch Master and Ice Follies, selected to recreate the dense, vibrant look of peak seasons. 

Blooms can still be found throughout the cemetery’s 285-acre landscape, including near Wade Chapel Pond and the community mausoleum, alongside crabapple trees and dogwoods. Visitors are encouraged to explore the grounds and take in other signs of spring across the property.

With renewed soil, fresh bulbs and continued care, officials expect Daffodil Hill to return to full form in the coming seasons.

Even in a lighter year, daffodils are beginning to bloom, with more expected as the season unfolds, peaking in mid-April.

“We've had a lot of decades of Daffodil Hill, and we’ll continue to do that,” Goss says.  “We love our Daffodil Hill, and it's going to be a priority for us.”

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