Flower power at Middle Run Farm

FIELDS: Strolling through the daffodil fields at Middle Run Farm are (from left) Shelley Paget, Carterton District Council; Carterton Plunket's Jenny Gray; Carterton mayor Ron Mark; Carterton Railway Museum's Doug Johnston; Gwenda Stewart, Carterton Lions; Anna Kinvig, Wairarapa Times-Age; Nina Rose, More FM and Ben Moorcock, More FM.

There are 33 different varieties of daffodils at Middle Run Farm in Gladstone, but they're not all in evidence yet.

The farm is traditionally one of the events for Sunday's Carterton Daffodil Festival, where visitors can pick their own bunches of daffodils for a donation that goes to Carterton Plunket and St John Ambulance.

Buses will be running regularly from Carterton Fire Station from 10.30am.

Carterton District Council spokesperson Shelley Paget said there's heaps of buds that will be in more evidence on Sunday.

"It's actually good they are not springing out now."

Landowner Dick Booth said there will be more flowers on the day, but noted it was sparse yesterday.

"That's mother nature for you."

He said the effect is masses of yellow and last year's show was magnificent.

"It's wonderful to see the people, the look on their faces."

Daffodil bulbs were planted at Middle Run from 1840, using bulbs from Holland.

In 1919 daffodils were first sold to raise money for the Carterton Plunket Society and in 1950 the property was opened to the public with an admission charge to pick daffodils.

Approximately 4000 people come to Middle Run on Daffodil Festival Day to pick flowers.