About this box
Most people picture a sunflower as one tall golden flower against a blue sky. The Sunflower Collection shows how much more there is to them: six varieties running from soft cream through gold and crimson to almost black, and from a fluffy dwarf for a pot to a giant that looks down at you over the fence.
Vanilla Ice has creamy petals round a dark disc and glows at dusk in a way a golden sunflower cannot. Red Sun is a clean crimson with no hint of brown, and Chocolate goes darker still, with velvet mahogany petals that anchor a warm border. Ring of Fire, an All-America Selections winner, blends from mahogany at the centre to gold at the tips, like an eclipse. For something classic, Waooh! branches freely and keeps producing golden flowers from July right up to the first frosts, and Teddy Bear makes fully double golden pompoms on plants short enough for a patio pot.
Growing sunflowers
Sow in April and May, either in pots on a sunny windowsill or straight into the ground once it has warmed up, and protect young seedlings from slugs. Give them full sun and plenty of water while they grow, and stake the taller varieties in an exposed spot. Picked when the first petals begin to lift, they last well in a vase, and seed heads left standing feed the birds into autumn. Full instructions are printed on every packet.
Six full-sized packets in our signature eco-friendly packaging – a cheerful gift for any gardener, and perfect for a family sunflower-growing competition.
