 |
| Photo courtesy of Countryliving.com |
As we daydream about future plans in the searing heat of August, and after this day last week where I posted a picture of a red barn with flowers, I stumbled across these photos...and now we love the idea of sunflowers around the barn and shed! There is something about the happy yellow flowers in contrast to the red and white barn colors that just seems so natural.
Plus, sunflowers grow well down in these parts, I believe they are heat lovers anyway. Now I just need to find the best varieties for us and how to grow them. Plus we'd get sunflower seeds to eat!
(I think? Do all varieties produce edible seeds?)
 |
| Photo image courtesy of sunsetliving.com |
Be Inspired!
That would be a really pretty look for your red barns. Those look like the native sunflowers that grow wild around here. They get quite tall. Wildlife, especially birds, loves to eat them. I have some around my yard which volunteer every year. I've never eaten them because the birds always beat me to it.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't have any growing wild on your Farm, Wildseed Farms in Fredericksburg has seeds: http://www.wildseedfarms.com/home.php
Some good information from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center:
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=HEAN3
According to that site, they are great for bees!
It is a pretty look huh? I need to get a wildseed farms catalog. Thanks for the link. And great for bees? Sounds like a win win!
DeleteI love sunflowers. They are such happy flowers and they are beautiful around that red barn. The squirrels dug the seed up as fast as I could plant them this year, so I didn't have any this year.
ReplyDeleteI've always called them happy flowers too. You can't help but smile when you see them, right? Do you know I've never seen a squirrel out at the farm? Weird. But i'm sure there are any other number of creatures lurking about, ha.
DeleteJust gorgeous. And the birds will love them. Probably scoffing them before you get a look in.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I might have to plant bunches so that we might end up with some at least, ha.
DeleteGood for bees, birds, squirrels and people
ReplyDeleteHey, we'll share if we have to, LOL.
DeleteI love sunflowers and the way they track the sun. Last summer I bought a variety called Evening Sun. This plant sent up more than one branch of sunflower and the flowers themselves were different colours. The difference in colour was subtle but noticeable. They were very pretty.
ReplyDeleteI never knew they tracked the sun until a tew years ago. So cool. I love that you found some with different shades and colors. I will check that out for it's ability to grow here. Thanks!!
DeleteNot all varieties produce seeds good for eating; if you want to save some for yourself, then place pantyhose over the flower heads before the seeds are completely mature - otherwise the birds and tree rats won't leave you any!
ReplyDeleteOh, I didn't know that, thank you for that. I will make sure I look for that. And great tip with the pantyhose. Thanks!!
DeleteI always have a bunch coming up around the veggie patch. I planted them one year and have enjoyed them every year since. They're terrific for the birds and I love the variations amongst them.
ReplyDeleteI think you'll enjoy having them.
I didn't realize they come back so easily (well, down here I'll have to see about that, ha). Have never tried them before but now that we have the barns, I'm thinking we really want to try this.
DeleteSunflowers and red barns, is there any visual that is more evocative of America? GLORIOUS!!!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI might have to build a little red shed in my back just to try and plant sunflowers against. Simply stunning image. How could a person not smile seeing a sunflower?
ReplyDeleteSun flowers are pretty and produce seeds for the birds and nectar for the bees but take caution on where you plant them as they suck up all the moisture from the ground and eventually your area will dry and cause cracks in your yard. The more the seeds drop on the ground the more sunflowers you will have and the more cracks in your yard you will have, so I would suggest not planting them close to any buildings and don't plant them along with other flowers being they require lots and lots of water.
ReplyDelete