Brian May has gone from local hero to a bit of a frustrated gardener in his quiet English village.
Last year, the Queen guitarist made headlines in Elstead after donating 3,000 daffodil bulbs to brighten the church green. The gesture struck a chord with locals, and May regularly shared updates online as the flowers grew.
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By his own account, the response was overwhelmingly positive, according to CNN.com .
Riding wave of goodwill, May hoped to go bigger next spring
May planned to donate more bulbs to expand the display across the main village green, but that plan has now been scrapped after local officials stepped in and shut it down, reports CNN.com .
In a recent Instagram post , May said he was “quite thrilled” by the “happy comments” about this year’s blooms and gave a shoutout to “Team Daffodil,” the group of volunteers who helped plant them.
The tone shifted, however, when he revealed that Elstead Parish Council had rejected his latest offer.
The reason? Safety concerns
The council argued the daffodils could interfere with sightlines for traffic and make it harder for people to cross the green, reports the U.K. Sun . Officials said they have “a responsibility to balance community initiatives with safety,” ultimately deciding the risks outweighed the benefits.
May didn’t buy that explanation. Telling his 3.6 million followers he was “reluctantly” cancelling the order, he questioned how flowers with “18-inch stalks could (obstruct) anyone’s view” — especially when the green is often surrounded by parked cars, including what he joked is a “7-foot-high ice cream van!!!”
Some locals are clearly on his side. One commenter, identified as hil1962, said they were part of Team Daffodil and called this year’s display a “triumphant success,” adding that their thoughts on the council weren’t suitable to share publicly, per CNN.com .
Daffodil episode a small-scale clash to a much bigger year for May
Now 78, the legendary guitarist has been navigating health concerns and career decisions as the same time. In September 2024, he revealed he had suffered a “minor stroke” that briefly left him unable to control his arm, according to The Associated Press . He later confirmed he had recovered and could still play guitar.
On the touring front, May has also hit pause on U.S. plans. In a January interview, he described the country as “a dangerous place at the moment” following the deaths of two U.S. citizens involving immigration officials in Minnesota, per the Daily Mail .
The comment rules out near-term projects like a potential Las Vegas residency — something he had previously been excited about.
In fact, during a Rolling Stone interview marking the 50th anniversary of Bohemian Rhapsody , May had been enthusiastic about performing at the Sphere in Vegas, saying the band could create something “stupendous.”