Taniwha Daffodils: Weather disrupts daffodil attraction in Central Hawke’s Bay

Esther Mabin from Taniwha Daffodils near Waipukurau. Photo / Warren Buckland

Even the owners of an iconic attraction in Central Hawke’s Bay are singing Where Have All The Flowers Gone?

Taniwha Daffodils, on a family farm near Waipukurau, opens its gates to the public each September and has become a popular attraction during spring due to its fields of yellow daffodils.

But it’s seen a big drop in the number of daffodils blossoming this year - between 50 to 70 per cent. They’ll still open to the public from September 9-24 but is now asking the public to temper its expectations a little.

Taniwha Daffodils’ Esther Mabin said the drop in flowers blossoming was significant.

There should be a field of yellow daffodils at Taniwha but successive wet winters have resulted in few blooms. Photo / Warren Buckland

“People are very welcome to come and picnic and pick a few daffodils, but you just won’t be able to pick the numbers that they would normally pick,” Mabin said.

“We have just got fields of leaves really. It is like that song Where Have All The Flowers Gone?

“There are random blooms and there are some quite good patches in the drier areas, but the wetter areas have really suffered.

“We believe - and my mother-in-law who is the expert on this - says bulbs need to be baked out in the summer and they have had two wet winters and no heat in the summer and have really been affected.”

The farm in better years. Photo / NZME

She said they would likely restrict the number of daffodils people can pick to one bunch, so more people can enjoy picking the flowers.

Mabin said they hoped to see their paddock full of daffodils again next season.

The family-run farm has been growing daffodils on a large paddock for over 50 years and delayed the opening this month by a week.

People heading along this month are asked to make a donation on entry with money raised going to charity Central Hawke’s Bay Parents Centre.

Taniwha Daffodils is located at 3440 State Highway 2, about 10 minutes south of Waipukurau.

Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business, councils, breaking news and cyclone recovery. He formerly worked at News Corp Australia.