Volunteers to plant 5,300 daffodil bulbs at Dartmouth garden for cancer survivors

A sign for the Daffodil Garden for Cancer Survivors is pictured in Dartmouth, N.S. (Ceilidh Millar/CTV)

The Daffodil Garden for Cancer Survivors in Dartmouth, N.S., is a place for people affected by a cancer diagnosis to find some peace.

As cancer survivors, both Jim and Judie Edgar know the power of reflection and connection.

“With 1 in every 2 Canadians being affected by cancer, everyone is connected or affected by this disease,” Judie said.

The garden is the first outdoor space in Atlantic Canada dedicated to those touched by the disease.

“It’s a place that can be whatever you want it to be,” said Judie. “If you want to reflect, if you want to be happy, if you want to cry, or if you want to meet people -- this is what this garden is for.”

“People are just so thankful for this place,” explained Judie’s husband, Jim Edgar.

Since the garden opened in 2020, they have planted more than 25,000 daffodil bulbs that bloom into a beautiful sea of yellow each spring.

Daffodils are pictured in a garden. (Source: Facebook/Daffodil Garden for Cancer Survivors)

Volunteers will once again be gathering on Saturday to plant 5,300 additional bulbs, which have been donated by several community partners.

Unfortunately, the Edgars say they are running out of space in the area to plant.

“It’s bittersweet, because with the amount of space that we’ve already planted, it’s probably going to be our last planting,” Jim said. “We’ll have to wait and see what happens.”

The garden features benches, statues and paths that express messages of support and resilience.

The Daffodil Garden for Cancer Survivors features benches, statues and paths that express messages of support and resilience. (Ceilidh Millar/CTV)

“The artistic feature represents the three stages of life: youth, middle-aged and senior population, because cancer doesn’t discriminate,” Judie explained.

The Edgars hope to continue to spread the word to other communities about the garden by building awareness.

“What we tell anyone who has received the news or is waiting [for a cancer diagnosis], is to stay positive,” Jim said. “It doesn’t have to be a death sentence like it was years ago.”

In August, Jim and Judie were both awarded the Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal in honour of their community contributions and service to the province.