'Very emotional': Final planting scheduled at Dartmouth park for cancer survivors

A Maritime couple will hang up their shovels after pouring themselves into a garden honouring cancer survivors.

Judie and James Edgar created the Daffodil Garden for Cancer Survivors in Dartmouth, which officially opened four years ago. The two are both survivors and wanted to bring hope to others.

"You always hear about people that didn't win their battle, but you never hear anything about the people who actually do survive, so that's how this all came about," said James.

Each spring, thousands of daffodils pop up along Alderney Drive creating a stunning and heartwarming display. It takes a community effort.

"That group of people, I call them our village, has grown beyond hundreds and hundreds of people," said Judie.

Tens of thousands of bulbs have been planted at the Daffodil Garden for Cancer Survivors in Dartmouth, N.S.

To date, more than 35,000 bulbs have been planted. Another 4,000 will go into the ground on Saturday, Oct. 12 beginning at 9 a.m. It will be the Edgars' final planting.

"Well, I'll be probably bringing a box of Kleenex to that planting," said Judie. "It's going to be very emotional for me. We've put our heart and soul into this since 2018, so I'm going to feel like there's a little void."

The two decided it was the right time to stop plantings, but that doesn't mean the daffodils are going anywhere.

"Daffodils naturalize, meaning they multiply, so our vision is to have Downtown Dartmouth known as the bright side and I think we've accomplished that," said Judie.

A plaque at the Daffodil Garden for Cancer Survivors in Dartmouth, N.S., reads "The beauty of life after cancer is worth fighting for."

The garden isn't just for survivors.

"Some people come down and plant, and they'll plant in memory of a loved one that they've lost," said James.

As they get ready for their last official planting, they hope lots of people will join them.

"We're not looking for praise or anything for us. This is just something we wanted to do for everybody really," said James.

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