Jarod Breshears is a Colfax High and University of Idaho grad. He says, "It was a project envisioned by Karen who reached out to me and we worked together to put it together."
Photos from Moscow Pullman Daily News 2015 showing Ken Casavant and Karen Kiessling.
This Moscow Pullman Daily News story from April 13, 2020
Still blooming after all these years - Thousands of daffodils have been planted on Pullman’s Bishop Boulevard since 2015
Still blooming after all these years - Thousands of daffodils have been planted on Pullman’s Bishop Boulevard since 2015
By Garrett Cabeza, Moscow Pullman Daily News
Take a walk or drive down Bishop Boulevard in Pullman and you will notice the vibrant yellow daffodils blooming once again. The plants brighten the roadway and the town’s outlook each spring.
More than 70,000 bulbs have been bought and most have been planted since the “Bulbs on Bishop” project started in 2015. About $20,000 in donations has been raised to purchase the daffodils the last five years.
The effort to beautify one of Pullman’s busiest streets came from Karen Kiessling, who first came to Pullman in 1967 and who served as mayor from 1976-80.
“The idea is, we have long, hard winters and they’re dragged out, and when you see the first bobbing daffodils, it just makes you smile. It cheers you up,” Kiessling said. “That’s what it was for and I think it’s really accomplished its goal.”
During her mayoral term, numerous projects were started and completed, including a downtown beautification project in which trees were planted along Main Street and brick designs were put on sidewalks.
She also organized in 2000 the Grand Avenue Greenway Committee, which she led for 10 years. The committee’s duty is to change Pullman’s Grand Avenue from an industrial-like sector into a greener, more modern and visually appealing stretch of road.
Since the committee was formed, trees, plants and flowers have been planted along the paths following Grand Avenue.
While the committee is still going strong today, Kiessling said she always wanted to plant bulbs.
Grand Avenue plantings required drip systems and water lines, but daffodils require no maintenance after planting, she said.
Washington State University professor emeritus Ken Casavant, who retired two years ago after 50 years at WSU, and Pullman Parks Superintendent Alan Davis have also been instrumental in the project.
Kiessling and Casavant, who served as a city councilor while Kiessling was mayor, asked business owners on Bishop Boulevard for permission to plant on their property and each one they asked expressed support for the project, Kiessling said.
The majority of the daffodils and donations came in 2015. Kiessling said 50,000 daffodils were ordered and $14,000 was raised the first year of the project.
People can donate to the project by writing a check to the city of Pullman and mentioning “Bulbs on Bishop” in the memo line.
She said Davis organizes volunteers, which have included church groups, fraternities and sororities, to plant the daffodils.
Construction projects have destroyed some daffodils in the last five years.
Kiessling said she still receives thank-you notes and emails for her work on the project. Casavant said 20 to 30 people have thanked him as well.
“Makes Karen and I warm and fuzzy, but it should help the city of Pullman too,” Casavant said.
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This story from September 2015
In September 2015: Volunteers began planting
50,000 daffodils along Pullman's Bishop Boulevard
By Samantha Malott, Moscow Pullman Daily News
Sept 14, 2015
:::::::::::::::::
This story from September 2015
In September 2015: Volunteers began planting
50,000 daffodils along Pullman's Bishop Boulevard
By Samantha Malott, Moscow Pullman Daily News
Sept 14, 2015
With 50,000 daffodil bulbs set to planted, Bishop Boulevard will be surrounded by fields of yellow come springtime.
Ken Casavant and former mayor Karen Kiessling brought the idea forward to the city earlier this year and led the drive to raise $14,000 to buy bulbs.
Fern McLeod, with the Pullman parks department, said the money was raised from donations both from the businesses along Bishop Boulevard and community members.
Alan Davis, Pullman parks superintendent, said the idea stemmed from the hope of expanding downtown beautification projects.
"We've been doing a lot of work, and they thought it would be a good idea to expand and dress up Bishop Boulevard," he said.
Once the daffodils bloom in the spring, people will see them from any angle along the road, he said.
The nearly 7,000 pounds of bulbs were shipped in from Holland, the only distributor McLeod said she could find that could deliver the bulbs in time for planting.
"The goal is to get them all in the ground before Halloween," she said.
The bulbs need to be in the ground before it gets too cold and the dirt freezes. Saturday, the dirt was still pretty soft, and the biggest problems were netting from previous planting work or rocks, said McKenzee Schneider of the parks department.
Two species of the standard yellow daffodils were ordered, Golden Anniversary and Tamaras, she said. The two varieties have a slightly different bloom time, so it will extend the season along the stretch of road, she said.
The beds of flowers can range from 10 feet wide along the side of the road, up to 300 feet wide along the slope down from the Wal-Mart parking lot.
One of the reasons daffodils were selected was for their relatively low maintenance that will dress up the area naturally, Davis said.
"It shouldn't add any extra maintenance for the property owners or the city," McLeod said.
The first round of volunteers began planting Saturday morning, not only along the Wal-Mart slope, but also near Pullman Regional Hospital, Crimson and Grey and the professional mall.
'The project helps to bring people together through the volunteers and all the businesses contributing," Schneider said.
Volunteers from local churches, area Boy Scouts and a Washington State University fraternity and sorority were some of the groups planting bulbs Saturday morning, but the project is going to need more to finish in time.
"We are still looking for more groups," she said.
Davis said the parks department will likely organize a few more big volunteer days to get the bulbs planted in time.
"It will make a nice big statement come early spring," McLeod said. "To me, the flowers themselves are the best part about it."
Especially on a dreary or rainy day, the bright yellow flowers may cheer someone up, she said.
"It will bring a smile to everyone's face," Schneider said.
Ken Casavant and former mayor Karen Kiessling brought the idea forward to the city earlier this year and led the drive to raise $14,000 to buy bulbs.
Fern McLeod, with the Pullman parks department, said the money was raised from donations both from the businesses along Bishop Boulevard and community members.
Alan Davis, Pullman parks superintendent, said the idea stemmed from the hope of expanding downtown beautification projects.
"We've been doing a lot of work, and they thought it would be a good idea to expand and dress up Bishop Boulevard," he said.
Once the daffodils bloom in the spring, people will see them from any angle along the road, he said.
The nearly 7,000 pounds of bulbs were shipped in from Holland, the only distributor McLeod said she could find that could deliver the bulbs in time for planting.
"The goal is to get them all in the ground before Halloween," she said.
The bulbs need to be in the ground before it gets too cold and the dirt freezes. Saturday, the dirt was still pretty soft, and the biggest problems were netting from previous planting work or rocks, said McKenzee Schneider of the parks department.
Two species of the standard yellow daffodils were ordered, Golden Anniversary and Tamaras, she said. The two varieties have a slightly different bloom time, so it will extend the season along the stretch of road, she said.
The beds of flowers can range from 10 feet wide along the side of the road, up to 300 feet wide along the slope down from the Wal-Mart parking lot.
One of the reasons daffodils were selected was for their relatively low maintenance that will dress up the area naturally, Davis said.
"It shouldn't add any extra maintenance for the property owners or the city," McLeod said.
The first round of volunteers began planting Saturday morning, not only along the Wal-Mart slope, but also near Pullman Regional Hospital, Crimson and Grey and the professional mall.
'The project helps to bring people together through the volunteers and all the businesses contributing," Schneider said.
Volunteers from local churches, area Boy Scouts and a Washington State University fraternity and sorority were some of the groups planting bulbs Saturday morning, but the project is going to need more to finish in time.
"We are still looking for more groups," she said.
Davis said the parks department will likely organize a few more big volunteer days to get the bulbs planted in time.
"It will make a nice big statement come early spring," McLeod said. "To me, the flowers themselves are the best part about it."
Especially on a dreary or rainy day, the bright yellow flowers may cheer someone up, she said.
"It will bring a smile to everyone's face," Schneider said.