I look forward to everything about summer. The fresh produce, the sunshine, the warmth, the long days. But the thing I most look forward to are the sunflowers. There is something just so cheery about sunflowers. The sweet Autumn mix, the Teddy Bear variety, and the mammoth blooms send me giggling and make me happy.
Yellow is my favorite color. Not for wearing, as it makes me look jaundiced, but definitely as décor. In my garden there are signs of yellow blooms everywhere. Crocus, mums, daffodils, roses, Calendula, marigolds, and much more. But the ones I wait for the most are the sunflowers.
Planting Sunflowers
When we first started dating, I let it slip to my mate how much I loved sunflowers. He brought me a bundle the very next day. The bouquet of the bright blooms became a much looked forward to surprise for anniversaries, birthdays, and just because occasions. But he is a frugal man and finally came up with the idea to plant them. So this is his early spring ritual. He saves seed from the many varieties and gets out early in the season to dot them around our property.
A Gift of Love
By late spring, you can see the little plants have sprung up. They grow fast, and the big varieties are 6-12 feet (1.8-3.7 m.) tall by the end of July. Then the first of the blooms arrive. It’s quite a vision. We have seas of golden flowers, many of which continue to arrive until fall. It is truly a love letter to me, and one of the most romantic gestures a garden girl could be gifted.
Golden Seas
There are enough to bring some indoors to enjoy, while the remainder decorate our garden with their joyous flowers. We have American sunflowers, Giant Sungold, Teddy Bears, and many more.
The petals begin to fall, but that isn’t a cause for sadness because what follows are the delicious sunflower seeds. We soak them in brine and roast them. We will enjoy them throughout the winter. Some sunflower seeds are saved, of course, while the larger heads we place on spikes on the fence to feed the birds during the snowy season. There are always enough heads to feed both us and our feathered friends. We even tried the trendy sunflower head recipe with mixed reviews.
These yellow blooms are my favorite of all flowers, both for their color and their usefulness. The bright blooms are the epitome of summer, as synonymous with the warm season as watermelon and fresh tomatoes. They are also a constant reminder that I am loved.
