The meteorological start of spring, which is related to the onset of warming temperatures, started on March 1! Although our vegetation now still appears to be in a dormant state in Edgemont, hopefully some changes are forthcoming in April.
Did you know that April is Daffodil Month in Canada! Daffodil is a common name for the perennial plants of the Narcissus genus. Daffodils have been around since the late Oligocene, early Miocene eras, so at least twenty-three million years! Daffodils first appeared on the Iberian Peninsula in southwest Europe, including Spain, Portugal, and parts of France. Daffodils were cultivated both for their flowers and for medicinal purposes.
Narcissus is often associated with the tale of a young man who really loved his own reflection; some renditions of the story say that Narcissus was turned into a flower after he died. On a less poetic note, the daffodil is symbolic for hope and new beginnings, which is fitting for spring. The Canadian Cancer Society has used the daffodil as a symbol for hope since the 1950s. As mentioned above, April is Daffodil Month, and you can purchase daffodil pins while daffodils are often sold in workplaces to raise funds for the Cancer Society around this time.
The real reason that we are writing about daffodils in our ELM report this month is that we have a surprise coming for Edgemont residents in the form of daffodils! This will be a great transition from winter to summer displays! The subject of daffodils was first brought up by a long-term resident of Edgemont and we are very thankful for his great suggestion.
Last fall, Foothills planted daffodil bulbs in seven flowerbeds/parks throughout the community, and we expect to see lovely waves of yellow this spring! Once the daffodils finish flowering, their foliage will die off behind a row of taller flowers (perennials/annuals), as carefully planned by Foothills Landscaping.
On a positive note, rodents and deer do not indulge in eating daffodils, as the bulbs contain a substance called Lycorine which does not agree with them! Vulnerable bulbs are often planted in between daffodils to keep rodents at bay.
In the meantime, at the time of writing, there are no updates yet about pick-up dates of the free compost from our green carts. Chances are that by the time you receive a hard copy of the newsletter, appointment and pick-up dates will be available on the website below.
https://www.calgary.ca/waste/residential/green-cart-compost-giveaway.html
Lastly, it is not too late to contact our ELM coordinator, Shari Pitka, if you would like to donate perennials for placement throughout the community!
Kathleen Stewart, Rick Wierzbicki, Shari Pitka
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