Gloucester in Gloucester County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
Daffodils Arrived Here With the Colonists
History of the Daffodil in Gloucester County
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 26, 2021
1. Daffodils Arrived Here With the Colonists Marker
Native to parts of Europe and Northern Africa, daffodils were introduced to Britain by the Romans after they invaded and captured the country in AD 43. Daffodils (also known as "Lent Lilies") spread naturally and eventually became the favorite flower of England. After the establishment of the Virginia Company in 1606 and the settlement of Jamestown colony in 1609, daffodil bulbs were transported by sailing ships from Britain to America, often by women colonists who brought them along as a reminder of home. The bulbs adapted readily to the climate and conditions of the Virginia Tidewater region, and particularly the area known as the Middle Peninsula, which includes Gloucester and Mathews counties.
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils
William Wadsworth, published 1807
[Caption:]
In his famous poem Wordsworth could have been referring to Gloucester and Mathews Counties, Virginia, where by the 1800's naturalized and planted daffodils bloomed in abundance each Spring.
[Sidebar:]
Narcissus
Daffodil is the common name given to plants making up the genus Narcissus. There are many references to daffodils throughout history. In 609 Shakespeare wrote in his play The Winter's Tale, "Daffodils, that come before the swallows dare, and take the winds of March with beauty."
The diversity of the naturalized species, the ease with which natural hybridization occurs, and extensive cultivation and breeding over centuries has made the Narcissus family difficult to categorize. The Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain has grouped daffodils into 13 Divisions. The American Daffodil Society (ADS), founded in 1954, works with The Royal Horticultural Society to maintain the classification system.
Erected by Gloucester
this page online
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Horticulture & Forestry • Settlements & Settlers • Women. A significant historical year for this entry is 1606.
Location. 37° 24.922′ N, 76° 31.75′ W. Marker is in Gloucester, Virginia, in Gloucester County. It is on Main Street (Business U.S. 17) just west of John Lemon Lane, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6529 Main St, Gloucester VA 23061, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on the Middle Peninsula and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Tidewater, and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), June 26, 2021
2. Daffodils Arrived Here With the Colonists Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on June 28, 2021. It was originally submitted on June 27, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 2,133 times since then and 172 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on June 27, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
