Daffodils for Dunbarton

It is True! This year only, we offered our community signature daffodil bulbs to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Daffodils for Dunbarton! Each year, residents and visitors alike share in the beauty along our fields and roadways as Daffodils for Dunbarton planted 100,000 daffodil bulbs from 2005-2015 for our town’s 250th anniversary. In 2024, you can join in and be part of this history! Community members flock to Dunbarton to see the beautiful yellow blooms welcoming the spring season each year. Our neighboring towns have even joined in on the fun. You will see daffodils popping up along the John Stark Scenic Byway that also runs through Goffstown, New Boston, and Weare!
The bulbs multiply without much care so your patch can get larger each year! This year the Dunbarton Garden Club is offering five specially selected daffodil packages, including one new package for you to choose from. These premium bulbs are grown to the highest standards, imported for us, and not available in local stores. As part of this effort, the Dunbarton Garden Club will be working to freshen up some of the town's public areas to liven up our spring showing. Be on the lookout for our daffodils popping up around town!

Below are the five specialty bulbs we offered in 2024. If you are planting daffodil bulbs you find our planting suggestions helpful so click here!

If you want to learn more about the Dunbarton Garden Club, you are in the right place, you may reach us by email at DGC03046@gmail.com.

General John Stark

General John Stark Daffodil Bulb (General John Stark, 1728-1822)
John Stark came to Dunbarton (then known as Starkstown) when his father, Archibald Stark, became one of the original 10 grantees of the land here. John built a sawmill that provided the early settlers with the wood to build their homes. He was an important leader in Rogers' Rangers and fought in the French and Indian war. He also helped to cut new roads into the northern wilderness. He married Elizabeth Page, daughter of Caleb Page, another original grantee, in 1758, and they lived for several years with her family at Page's Corner. Together they had 11 children and raised an orphan named Johnny Ray. John Stark joined the Revolution at the beginning of the conflict and fought bravely at Bunker Hill, Trenton, and Princeton. As general, he was the hero of the Battle of Bennington, which led to the American victory at Saratoga. He was the oldest surviving general of the Revolution. In 1809, unable to attend a reunion to celebrate the Bennington victory, he sent this message:
"Let this be my toast to you - live free or die... death is not the worst of evils." It has become New Hampshire's state motto.

Molly Stark Mix

Molly Stark Mix Daffodil Bulbs (Molly Stark, 1736-1814)
Elizabeth Page came to Dunbarton (then known as Starkstown) in 1751 when her father, Caleb Page, became one of the original 10 grantees of the land here. Caleb first built a fort to protect his family and his neighbors from Indian attack in the area of Page's Corner. Elizabeth took her turn standing guard at the front with her loaded musket. Her father later built a large house that made life on the frontier more comfortable. Elizabeth married John Stark there in 1758. His pet name for her was "Molly." They had 11 children and also raised an orphan. She taught them to read and write. They settled in Manchester where she often had to manage the family and farm on her own when John was away during the war. She helped to monitor British troop movements in the early days of the Revolution and also nursed American soldiers stricken with smallpox. She was woman of great spirit and strength and was her husband's greatest supporter.

Caleb’s Courage

Caleb's Courage Daffodil Bulb (Caleb Stark, 1759-1838) Caleb Stark was the oldest child of General John and Molly Stark. He was born and raised at his grandfather's home at Page's Corner. Hearing that the Americans were about to battle the British, Caleb at age 15, took his horse and musket and slipped away in the middle of the night against the wishes of his grandfather. He rode to Medford, Massachusetts, to join his father and took part with other soldiers in the Battle of Bunker Hill. His act of courage is symbolized on the town seal of Dunbarton. He served with distinction during the Revolution and became adjutant general under his father who commanded the northern division. After the war, he became a successful merchant and built the Stark Mansion in 1785. Lafayette visited him there and stayed overnight during his tour of the United States in 1825. Caleb and his family are buried in the Stark Cemetery, one of the historic sites in Dunbarton.

Scipio's Flag

Scipio Page (17xx to 1815ish - no clear records) was the freed slave of Captain Caleb Page. He was a military man and fought in both the French & Indian War and the Revolution. Scipio was also Captain of a Black militia encompassing Dunbarton, Goffstown, Weare and Bow. In 1788, in an unusual move for the times, the Proprietors granted him land near One Stack Brook. When his military service was discovered in 2009, Scipio’s grave finally received an American Legion Flag. A Black Heritage Trail of NH marker will be installed this year at Pages Cemetery in his honor.

Dunn Cottage Blend

Dunn Cottage Blend After the Dunn’s built their home in 1995, Donna began to fulfill a dream she’d had as a young girl to create a daffodil field. Planting bulbs began slowly at first but picked up speed over the next twenty years. There are now more than 8,000 daffodils with dozens of different cultivars. Their field on Gorham Pond Road is open to photographers and families every Spring.

Thank you for your support

Dunbarton Garden Club

A 501c3 Non-Profit Organization 1934 Founding Mission Statement: “To create interest in gardening in all its branches and encourage the beautification of the homes and the community. To interest school children in the knowledge and preservation of the same.”