Garden Update: Sunflowers by the Fence
Along the fence on the west side of my house is a small strip of grass with a narrow flower bed along the fence. For years I had a perennial called Obedient Plant growing there. I liked the shape of the flowers, but this was an area that had shade most of the day, and the plant got spindly and fell over onto the grass. It also spread out and I had to spend way too much energy containing it in the flower bed.
Last year I pulled out all the Obedient Plants, and this spring I planted sunflower seess there. It will be even better next year when these sunflowers have dropped their seeds and there’s a thick patch of sunflowers, but I love the way the sunflowers look growing along my fence!
It’s such a long, narrow strip of grass and flower bed that it was hard to get a good photo, but here’s the sunflowers looking from my back yard towards the street.And here are the sunflowers looking from the front of the house towards my back gate.
I planted several types of sunflower seeds. I was hoping for some orange ones, but so far I have only yellow. It’s okay; I love the way they look.
In this photo I was trying to get some of the clouds and blue sky behind the sunflowers.
And it didn’t show up as well as it could have, but this one has a bee visiting!
Sunflowers always make me think about back to school, because every year we would study Vincent Van Gogh’s famous painting, and then I’d have the students paint their own version. What do you think about when you see sunflowers?
(You can see all my garden updates by using Garden Updates.)
24 Comments on “Garden Update: Sunflowers by the Fence”
Marie, glad you enjoyed the photos! They are looking even better now.
kalyn- I love the Sunflower photos. Sunflowers are my favorites.My house is decorated with sunflowers in every room. Sunflowers are bright and cheery, i love my sunflowers… Thanks for sharing your photos. they are absolutely beautiful
Sunflowers just add so much joy and color to a garden, there is something so whimsical about them!
Erma, that would make me mad! Maybe try starting the seeds inside and transplanting?
I have tried planting sunflower seeds an the squirrels always dig them up!
Lydia, someday I must go to the south of France and see the sunflowers there. (I've only been to France once, and only went to Marseille and Avignon, don't remember seeing sunflowers, but this was in November.) I agree, such a happy flower.
Sunflowers always make me think of the south of France, where there are endless fields of sunflowers in the summer months. There is something so happy about sunflowers, isn't there?
Sarah, how fun! When I taught first grade, we used to always plant beans, then the kids would take them home on the last day of school to plant outside!
My daughter (2 years old) brought a sunflower seed planted in a plastic cup home from her pre-K program earlier this spring. We planted it outside and have watched and waited every day. Finally! Just a few days ago we had a gorgeous yellow bloom pop out! Fun!
Paz, me too!
Christine, keep trying! Glad you liked the post.
Well I just love this post! Sunflowers are one of my favorites and they don't grow well here. That hasn't stopped me from trying though. Thanks for showing us such a beautiful stand of these beauties.
I LOVE sunflowers. 😉
Paz
Thanks Cheryl! I have fun taking the photos (and I like having a record of my garden too!)
Love the pics, Kalyn. You have such a wonderful garden, and I am so glad you share it with us so we can enjoy it, too. I look forward to your updates.
Shirley, this is a spot where there is some sun, but it's shady until early afternoon. Must be enough sun, thank goodness. Birds will be nice, because this is by my bedroom window. Love hearing the birds!
Sunflowers have always meant pure joy to me! I just love them. Growing them along a fence is perfect. It must not be too shady if they are thriving there. We have no fence so just grow a few sunflowers out in the open in one spot. I like at the end of the season when we dry the flowers and birds enjoy the seeds. You will definitely get some "volunteers" for next year, but you might be surprised how many birds pay you a visit and enjoy the seeds, too, Kalyn.
Shirley
Simona, I love poppies! I had a few of them but one year we had a really bad winter and they didn't come back. Need to remember to replant them!
Maya I had to look and see where you were living. I didn't realize there were a lot of parrots in India, very interesting.
Nice photographs. we too had the sunflowers two years back and once it started showing up the seeds in the centre, we had the parrot menace and had to remove all the plants. Though I feel very sorry for the parrots.
I too have a couple of sunflowers in my little garden, but seeing as I live in foggy California, they are nowhere near the blooming stage of yours. I can only hope. I have blooming poppies, though 🙂
Trish me too! I'm so glad they seem to be growing well enough even though it's kind of a shady spot.
sunflowers are one of my favorite flowers!!
Helene, they are great. Easy to grow if you have some place to plant the seeds.
Scuttlebooxe, I would love to have ruby red sunflowers; sounds wonderful. What a great memory!
I love your pictures!
When I see sunflowers, I always think of the house that I rented last year when my husband and I were getting married. I planed some ruby red sunflowers, and they were the first plant that I ever grew from scratch! It was so fulfilling, yet sad to move to our new place and leave the 8-foot sunflowers behind!
Love the pictures I wish I had Sunflowers also.