Larson Family transplanting Sunflowers - San Ramon, California May 2008 

Brianna and Her Beautiful Sunflower - Loveland, Colorado

After tornadoes - or as Brianna says, tomatoes - and storms hit Colorado, one sunflower was saved from the ravaging winds. Brianna ran out to save the sunflower she and her mom had planted. Brianna worried that the tornado may blow it away so she went out during the storm and plucked the sunflower up from the garden and ran back into the house to find a nice warm place for the sunflower to rest during the storms. After the storms had passed and about 3 days went by, Brianna's mom found the poor sunflower resting in it's protected place - withered and shriveled up. So they planted a new one. After frequent waterings and almost flooding the new sunflower, God smiled on Brianna's effort and allowed this sunflower to grow!!!! And Whaallah!!! We have a sunflower! 

2008 SUNFLOWER CONTEST WINNER  Sunflower - Helianthus annuus; Lori's Garden; Gurnee, Illinois

Took picture outside my backyard.  Planted twenty seeds only two survived.  My husband is 6'3" and my son is 2' tall.  We think the sunflower is close to 10' tall. 

2008 SUNFLOWER CONTEST WINNER Sunflower - Helianthus annuus - Dana's Garden Green Bay, Wisconsin August 16, 2008

I have also blogged about my sunflowers - this was my first year growing them. 

Sunflower - Helianthus annuus - Lori's Garden; Gurnee, Illinois August 25, 2008

This is one tough sunflower, most of the other sunflowers were destroyed by animals. This is one of two that survived. 

Paige Karr (age 4) with Sunflower - Eugene's Garden - Waukesha, Wisconsin

My granddaughter, Paige had two seeds from pre-school in a wet ziplock bag from school that had sprouted. She requested for me to plant them in my garden for her and this is what became of those little seeds.

2008 SUNFLOWER CONTEST WINNER Sunflower - Helianthus annuus - Barbara's Garden Waterford, Wisconsin August 7, 2008

This was my first attempt at growing sunflowers from seed and I was thrilled to see them blossom! 

2008 SUNFLOWER CONTEST WINNER Sunflower - Helianthus annuus - Montague, Michigan August 10, 2008

I went home to visit my parents for a week this summer and driving through the farms I've driven by millions of times, I saw this field that used to always be corn or some other vegetables. This year it was miles of sunflowers. 

2008 SUNFLOWER CONTEST WINNER Sunflower - Helianthus annuus - Marion & Russell Spuhler Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

The sunflower was grown by my parents who were 90-year-olds at the time!  The sunflower would have been taller, but started to lean a bit. Scale:  my dad is about 6' tall.  Sadly my mom passed away the next year so never got a chance to grow a bigger one, but my dad is still trying! 

Royce Tollas with Sunflowers - Wheeling, Illinois August 14, 2006

This field of sunflowers was planted along the side of a public expressway and was an awe inspiring sight. All of the flowers were facing the same way and all were about 5' tall. It was one of many trying to capture the sheer beauty with my camera. 

Audrey Heibel (Granddaughter) - 13 months - Princeton, Wisconsin July 7, 2007 - Granddaughter visiting from Dallas. Planted the sunflower seeds together - Lyn Herriot

Teresa Maryann - 23 months - Green Bay, Wisconsin July 16, 2009 - Lil' Teresa loves to help daddy in the garden. Especially watering the sunflowers (which now tower over her at 50"), picking peas and beans - Damien Schmitt

Squirrel hanging around eating sunflower seeds - Margo's Garden - La Crosse, Wisconsin 2009

Tall Sunflowers - Helianthus annuus - Marcia's Garden - Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin 2009

Sunflower - Helianthus annuus - Ruth's Garden - Skandia, Michigan 2209