Sunflowers!
SUN-FLOWERS, stop growing!
If you touch the sky where those clouds are passing
Like tufts of dandelion gone to seed,
The sky will put you out!
You know it is blue like the sea . . .
Maybe it is wet, too!
Your gold faces will be gone forever
If you brush against that blue
Ever so softly!
Hilda Conkling
from Poems by a Little Girl
A H ! S U N – F L O W E R
Ah, Sun-flower, weary of time,
Who countest the steps of the Sun,
Seeking after that sweet golden clime
Where the traveller’s journey is done.
William Blake
SUNFLOWER POEM
One lonely sunflower growing in the sun
Wants to play and have some fun
Then whoosh went the wind
And scattered all the seeds
And now there’s lots of sunflowers
Playing in the breeze.
Anonymous
GARDEN OF SUNFLOWERS
A garden of Sunflower beckoned to me -
Come join us, my lady, and joyous you’ll be!
We’re large ones and small ones, some dainty and fair,
And even some delicate to wear in your hair.
We follow the sun, swaying slowly without a care,
We have a new dance that with you we will share.
Gently hold onto our leaves, allow us to lead the way,
To our Sunflower two-step, dancing throughout the day.
I couldn’t resist them, so dandy a sight!
So off I did go in my Sunflower flight.
What a glorious time, right up til twilight,
And then I had to bid my Sunflowers good-night.
So happy were we, a long day filled with fun,
Upon leaving I kissed them, each and every one.
So tender the moment, as I turned to leave.
With eyes brimmed with tears, could I truly believe?
OH! It was so true!! I then knew it to be!!!
I had to smile, ’cause they were all winking at me!!!!
~Author Unknown~
Some sunflower facts:
Helianthus comes from two words, Helios meaning sun, and Anthos, meaning flower. The sunflower buds “often” follow the sun, and this characteristic is how it got its name. When the buds fully open the flower tends to face East.
The sunflower is a good bee plant, ours have been covered in bees this summer.
In many parts of Europe sunflowers have provided, and still provide, leaves for smoking, flower buds for salads, flowers for dyes and oil for cooking.
The sunflower is not one flower, but a cluster of more then 2000 tiny flowers growing together…go and have a closer look next time you come face to face with one.
A sunflower’s head can grow to be as big as 2 feet across and the plant itself can be as tall as 18 feet.
The tallest sunflower grown on record was 25 feet tall and was grown in the Netherlands.
The largest sunflower head on record measured 32 1/2 inches across its widest point and was grown in Canada.
The shortest mature sunflower on record was just over 2 inches tall and was grown in Oregon using the Bonsai technique.
Read more about the sunflower at the National Sunflower Association. I have also put together a Sunflower math booklet for my girls and to share with you if interested; just click the orange “sunflower math” link.
Delightful as always, m’dear. Loving the new site! And those photos. Brilliant!
I don’t know anything about sunflowers other than I did a post about them today, too
What gorgeous photos! Fauna’s bouquet is lovely. That Blake poem takes me back, thanks!
I’m just discovering your blog and really enjoying it. The fourth photo of your daughter and a dog behind her is such a lovely one. It reminds me of little red riding hood stopping to pick flowers off the path and here comes the wolf! I think it’s so striking and beautiful. Cheers, Natalie.
my spirit plant. beautiful post. linked. bookmarked. and saved for always.
Gorgeous photos Lisa!
Sunflowers make me so very happy! : )
sunflowers make my soul smile. therefore i should grow some.
Lovely!
They are such happy flowers. Even on gloomier days, they bring a smile to everyone! Thanks for sharing.
I love sunflowers. In my cottage there are a lot of them. I like to walk around them.
I do love me a big beautiful sunflower!!
Thanks for including the link to your sunflower math
Oh thankyou for these peoms – lovely to read. Aren’t they joyous flowers? I have two growing in my garden. They’re extra special as they self seeded – they just popped up!
Thank you to let us read those beautiful poems!
Great sunflower-math
What a lovely post.
I just noticed those thousands of little flowers inside a sunflower the other day – they’re impossible to mix if you look even a little closely at the center of the bloom. Ours have been real insect magnets also.
I put a picture of a really sweet sunflower on my farming blog yesterday. When it opened up, part of it got stuck and didn’t open fully, so it’s the shape of a heart. Really sweet.
Oh I love your sunflower pictures!
Are those your sunflowers…they looks so tall. I always learn something new coming here. I think you are born to teach!
I’ll have to check in my garden when my ankle is healed- J says the sunflowers are appearing.
I couldn’t imagine my garden without sunflowers. I manage to find more places for them every year. And, my dear sunflowers love to volunteer themselves in places I wouldn’t think to plant them. Like right in the middle of the garden or in a crevice on our rock wall. I didn’t know there was a sunflower appreciation association. I will check it out. Thank you! Smiles, Kyndale
We have been seeing sunflowers everywhere! I love seeing them here in the city! So cheerful, aren’t they?! Your sunflower mathbook is great! Thanks for sharing it!
Have a great night
Lisa