Festival daffodils thin on the ground

Middle Run landowner Dick Booth is hoping for more blooms and buds, fine weather and plenty of visitors to the farm as part of the annual Carterton Daffodil Festival on Sunday. FILE PHOTO

Daffodils at historic property Middle Run are a little thinner on the ground than usual this year in the lead-up to the Carterton Daffodil Festival, says landowner Dick Booth.

"The season's a bit later; they're a bit sparse," he said. "We're about on a par with everyone else."

Nevertheless Mr Booth is hopeful for a few more blooms and buds, fine weather and plenty of visitors to the farm as part of the annual Carterton Daffodil Festival on Sunday.

A bus will run from Broadway at 10.30am to the farm.

Since the 1930s, Middle Run has been opened to the public for daffodil picking on one day a year, which helped establish the flower as a symbol of Carterton and inspired the annual festival.

The late Alfred Booth bred daffodils and spread the seedlings through 5ha at the front of his farm where there are now examples of 33 varieties.

This year the festival will also feature an open day and a chance to stroll the grounds of Carrington House, for a gold coin donation.

There will also be street stalls, the Big Wai Art Sale, and weather permitting, the new attraction of horse-drawn surrey rides.