The grounds at Cayuga Medical Center are bursting with promise, thanks to a remarkable community effort that recently brought together the Ithaca Garden Club, the Cayuga Medical Center Foundation, and Cornell University.
Through this collaboration, 70,000 daffodil bulbs were donated and planted to enhance the beauty of the Cayuga Medical Center campus. The Ithaca Garden Club and the CMC Foundation provided the bulbs as part of a shared vision to create a vibrant, welcoming environment that will bloom for years to come. Cornell University’s School of Integrative Plant Science contributed staff time, equipment, and expertise, with students joining in to help plant the bulbs, alongside the CMC Facilities team.
The initiative is part of Daff-A-Dazzle, a three-year community beautification project led by the City of Ithaca, Cornell University Professor Dr. Bill Miller, and the Ithaca Garden Club. The project has brought hundreds of thousands of daffodils to parks, trails, and campuses throughout the area, transforming Ithaca into a springtime showcase of color and renewal. The bulbs are purchased with proceeds from the Ithaca Garden Club’s annual Daffodil Dash event, ensuring that every dollar raised helps bring more blooms to the community.
“I have enjoyed working with the Ithaca Garden Club and the City of Ithaca for many years planting about 200,000 to 250,000 daffodils and other bulbs into public spaces in Ithaca,” said Dr. Bill Miller, Professor of Horticulture in Cornell’s School of Integrative Plant Science. “Additional support of the Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station and especially staff members JC Mosher and Luke Thomas have been instrumental. This has been truly a group effort! One only needs to take a walk or ride a bike along the inlet, Stewart Park, or Cass Park to see the results of this partnership. In early spring, after a dreary Ithaca winter, the color blast brightens people’s spirits. Let’s all work together to plant a million daffodil bulbs in Ithaca!”
“This project reflects what community partnership is all about,” said Steph Bailey, Senior Director of Philanthropy at Cayuga Medical Center. “Together with the Ithaca Garden Club, Cornell University, and our incredible Facilities team, we’ve created something truly special for patients, families, and staff to enjoy for years to come. It’s a wonderful reminder of how collaboration can bring lasting beauty and joy to our campus.”
When spring arrives, the daffodils will transform the hospital grounds into a sea of colorful blooms, symbolizing hope, resilience, and the community spirit that defines Ithaca while also creating a beautiful, uplifting environment for patients, visitors, and staff.
