Daffodil Time
The last full weekend in April brings the arrival of Nantucket Daffodil Festival. Having attended all of the past 39 flower shows and having grown for and entered the competition for many years, Mary Malavase followed a long term goal of becoming an accredited daffodil flower show judge for the American Daffodil Society. Most people don’t know that there are over 30,000 different varieties of daffodils. The requirements to complete the certification take several years. The candidate must pass three judging schools, complete student judging of at least three daffodil shows, grow at least 100 different varieties of daffodils, exhibit daffodils in ADS approved shows for at least three years and must with at least five blue ribbons. After all the hard work to become a judge, now she is often invited to travel the country in the spring to judge flower shows. This year Mary has been asked to judge the National Daffodil Show at the American Daffodil Society’s Annual Convention in Little Rock, Arkansas. Don’t forget that if you are on Nantucket this year for the 40th Daffodil Flower Show at Bartlett’s Farm…. Look for Mary and she will be happy to give you a guided tour.