Koulas Farm has had a few buildings on the site at 185 Pine Hill Road. When we worked on clearing along Pine Hill Road last winter, we pulled out a lot of dead brush and junk and cleaned up the area around a large boulder that feels like a perfect point of interest for the site. It was a massive amount of bittersweet, but it was cleared in two weekends.
To our surprise, once the area along the road was opened up and the sun could reach the ground again, a sea of daffodils came up in the spring. To say we were happy would be an understatement. Somewhere in the past, the family must have planted them, and I would love to know more about the story behind it.
As the season progressed, the bittersweet came back with a vengeance, and the entire area is now covered again. Heartbreaking, yes, but not an ending. More like a beginning.
A post this week generated thousands of views and plenty of comments, and people all said the same thing. The flower gardens look beautiful, and if possible, they should be restored.
I called Friends of Koulas Farm, and they agreed this should be cleared again as part of our invasive mitigation work. That is fantastic news. I am confident we can clear the vines back and bring those daffodils to life again in the spring.
So look for work parties. The plan is simple.
First, clear the vines and regrowth.
Then, rake and clean the area up just before the daffodils come up, so they have sunlight and space again.
Chelmsford also has a long history with daffodils. One of the garden clubs, I believe it was the Chelmsford Garden Club, planted over 10,000 daffodils around town over many years. A decade ago I remember them at Town Hall, Red Wing, and Bartlett Park. Seeing these flowers pop up again made me think that spring is right around the corner.
Friends are fully supportive of this, so keep an eye out for volunteer days to help find the lost garden, remember the ladies of the garden club and their history, and most of all, make the town a little nicer.
And I have a feeling this is only the start. John said people have already stopped him to ask if they can help or donate bulbs. I love it when an idea grows organically, especially when that idea grows like daffodils waiting under the ground, ready to greet residents in the spring.
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Note I have added a mockup of what it could look like if it was decided to add a flower garden. That would require a whole array of approvals beyond just the cleanup.