From Volunteer to Star of the Show

As I have mentioned in earlier posts, last year I planted a row of "Gloriosa Polyheaded" Sunflowers up in the vegetable garden. They did alright. They weren't as tall as the package said they would get and they just didn't have a "wow" factor for me. Real estate is too precious in this garden, so they were crossed off the list for 2010. However, last fall some little finch, while cleaning out the heads of seed, must have dropped a few. One managed to survive the cold winter, get itself planted in the soil, and this Spring it sprouted. I was going to pull it out, but soon it got too big and I didn't have the heart to do it anymore. As with so many things in the garden that I am not trying to do on purpose, this volunteer has performed like a rock star. It is now higher than the gutters and covered in 9" blooms. Its stock is like bamboo and it is pretty much smothering the bean tower and tomato plants that are its closest neighbors. Still, it's worth it. Nothing says Summer like Sunflowers, planned or not!