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Blois Flowers and gardens Market

Daffodils for sale – Jonquilles à vendre

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As soon as the daffodils come out in the fields, there are lots of people on the market and along the side of the road selling daffodils. Not exactly legal of course.
Dès que les jonquilles sont en fleur dans les champs, il y a plein de vendeurs qui apparaissent sur le marché et le long de la route. Pas tout à fait légal bien sûr.

11 replies on “Daffodils for sale – Jonquilles à vendre”

Yes, I always feel that wildflowers should be left where they are but the daffodil-selling tradition is very strong.

Most of them are not wild, but naturalised garden cultivars. Picking them doesn’t harm the plants from the point of view of preventing them from multiplying — they do that much more efficiently by growing bulblets rather than reproducing by seed. The problem with picking them is that people strip the colonies bare. It’s not illegal per se, except that they are probably trespassing. It is unfair that they take all the flowers and prevent others enjoying them. The biggest issue is that it means people don’t distinguish between naturalised daffs and rare and protected wild flowers, like the Snakeshead Fritillaries. The Fritillaries do need to propagate by seed even though they are also bulbs, but people picking for the table have no concept of how selfish they are being when they strip the lot (or that in the case of Fritillaries it is illegal). It’s traditional so that makes it OK, apparently. Even so there doesn’t seem to be any idea of if you must pick, then just take 10% and have the imagination to think that others will come after you and want to do what you’ve just done.

I didn’t realise that. I’m glad that picking them doesn’t prevent them from multiplying.
i was actually referring to the legality of selling them on the market. That sort of sale is usually only allowed on 1st May but there is obviously nothing done about the daffodil selling.
I remember the beautiful Fritillaries we saw near Turquant two years ago. They were really lovely.

No, I want some inside that will brighten up the house until the blinds are open first thing in the morning. They always look so sunny.

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