Adelyn McCollum

A breeze moves through the tulip patch.

It happens quietly, nearly overnight, until one morning, I’m walking to class and a cool, perfumed breeze brushes across my face. The sun shines a little warmer, its soft rays embracing me. For the first time in months, my eyes lift from the sidewalk and there it is: the hope for spring. Pastel tulips and vibrant, yellow daffodils sway in the breeze; they, too, reach for the sun. My need for spring—the warmth, the freedom, the fresh, bright days—is what propels me forward. 

“The flowers bring our campus to life,” said senior Abby Hamilton. 

Every year, NKU’s campus is decorated with colorful flowers and plants that provide contrast to the gray, concrete structures. Green vines crawl over Nunn Hall, pink trees line the back of Landrum Hall and a bed of flowers sits in the center of the W. Frank Steely Library circle. 

Custodian Brenda Maldonado has a special fondness for the return of botanical life to the campus. 

“If it were me, I would put flowers from one end of this campus to the other,” she said. 

She feels the flora is not only important for our campus population, but for the college’s future as well. 

“The prettier the campus looks, the more people will want to come here. People visiting the college see our landscape and say, ‘Wow, this is so beautiful,’ and they remember that,” Maldonado said. 

Our campus doesn’t transform from its dreary winter atmosphere overnight. The Horticulture Department at NKU works year-round to ensure exceptional service to the university. Their jobs consist of creating, developing and maintaining the gardens and landscapes. They mainly focus on landscape design, new plant material installation and pond management. 

The Horticulture Department’s student help, Mason Crowe, delved into the process behind some of our favorite flowers. 

“The planning schedule can vary depending on weather, different projects or types of plants,” Crowe said. “A great example is our tulips around campus. We plant the bulbs in the fall before the frost so that the roots can take hold before the winter sets in.”

For tulips to properly bloom when springtime comes, they need this “chilling period” known as vernalization. Vernal is a Latin term meaning “spring,” which fits considering the first day of spring is called the vernal equinox. 

Much like roses, tulips’ colors have meanings as encompassed in the language of flowers. Red tulips, for example, were written in Turkish and Persian poetry to represent a lover’s flame or a heart filled with passion. 

Yellow tulips date back to Victorian times to symbolize a hopeless love. In modern times, the meaning has shifted to represent happiness and positivity, aligning with the color’s connotation. 

Gifting a white tulip tells someone you’re sorry or represents a respectful farewell. You could gift a white tulip to a friend you’ve wronged to display your desire for peace and a clean slate. 

Tulips aren’t the only flowers that dot NKU’s campus. Daffodils are also a common sight on your walk to class. Crossing between the Baptist Student Center and Landrum Hall, a patch of daffodils, accompanied by many purple, grape hyacinths is sure to catch your eye. 

“I especially love the daffodils, I know the spring semester is coming to an end when they start to pop up more around campus,” said Hamilton. 

The radiant whites and yellows of the daffodils balance the deep purple hyacinths. Different groups of flowers can be seen all around campus. 

“We try to use plants that complement the area they are in,” Crowe said. 

Daffodils, also known as “Narcissus,” are regarded as the first flowers of spring, as they’re among the first to bloom. They symbolize renewal and hope. 

We may love daffodils, but your pets won’t. Daffodils contain a toxin called lycorine, which can cause vomiting and nausea if ingested by animals. 

Unlike their roommate, grape hyacinths are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C, making them safe for humans or pets to eat. 

With the semester coming to a close, spring provides a glimpse of the upcoming relief of summer. The sweet scent in the air and some UV rays can be just the push we need to finish our semester strong. 

Homework doesn’t have to be done in a boring classroom. Find a large tree with plenty of shade, or some seats next to a flower bed, gather some friends and lay out a blanket for a relaxing picnic. 

As the late actor Robin Williams said, “Spring is nature’s way of saying, ‘Let’s party!’”