Public abused generosity of daffodil farm

THE owner of a flower company in Bandon is appealing to members of the public to refrain from entering his fields and stealing flower bulbs belonging to him.

Brian Perrott – owner of West Cork Daffodils based at Littlesilver outside Bandon who grow approximately 80 acres of daffodils – was forced to make an online public appeal last weekend after he said people have overstepped the boundary ‘by taking more than is welcome.’

Despite having a disastrous season due to the Covid-19 pandemic which saw most of his orders for bulbs and flowers cancelled, Brian’s goodwill gesture had allowed members of the public to pick daffodils from his fields provided they made donations to the Irish Cancer Society, in lieu of Daffodil Day, which was cancelled.

His generous offer got widespread publicity, including in a recent Southern Star. ‘Taking the flower bulbs is stealing and we are very upset that people decided to take the bulbs from the ground,’ said Brian. ‘As a result of people stealing the bulbs, the fields are not open to the public and any unauthorised persons in the field will be prosecuted. I am trying to run a business and this has gone too far.’

He said the situation is no different from going into another field and taking another famer’s barley, oat or corn crop.

‘We must remind people that the daffodils and their bulbs are essential to our business. I rely on the bulbs to produce the crop and if the bulbs are removed it will reduce my crop even more, which I do not need after a season that was cut short by Covid-19.’

Brian said he didn’t have a problem with people picking daffodils, but he is really annoyed that someone would dig up the bulbs too.

‘If you would like bulbs, you are welcome to purchase then in the shop, but you are not welcome to take the bulbs from the fields,’ he added.

He also wants to remind anyone who did take flowers and forget to donate to the Irish Cancer Society to please donate at www.cancer.ie/ways-to-help/donate.