Sunflowers have been forever immortalised by Van Gogh, the majestic sunflower is one of the most instantly recognisable flowers in the world.
With their sunny yellow petals and cheerful demeanour a sunflower embodies all that is summer and makes the perfect uplifting gift. No matter how you choose to display them these gorgeous flowers are sure to steal the show.
The sunflower originates from North America and was first cultivated back in 3,500 BC by American-Indian tribes. In the late 16th century Spanish explorers brought the sunflower to Europe where it was widely cultivated for its oil and striking beauty, making it a popular flower for decoration in homes and gardens, which it still is today.
Scientific Name: Helianthus
Family: Asteraceae
Availability: May-October with limited availability during the rest of the year
Little Dorrit produces a large, rich yellow head with a deep chocolate centre above an imposing pyramid of huge foliage. A rather exciting little plant for the border, which will cause intrigue, excitement and evoke comment from all. Easy to grow; ideal for children.
An exquisite chocolate-brown Sunflower with a gorgeous metallic sheen to the bloom. The mid-height habit of this gorgeous gem makes Claret the ideal addition to your borders this summer. Highly recommended. Height: 120-180cm (4-6 feet).
A captivating mixture of high quality Sunflowers in delightful shades to add a rustic, autumnal feel to your late summer bedding displays. Mid-height plants, with multi-branching heads give an impressive show in a spectrum of shades. Easy to grow; ideal for children.
Attractive clusters of small flowers each with primrose-cream petals, surrounding an unusual lime-green centre disk. En-masse, this mouthwatering combination looks great in borders or as a cut flower
Often known as the Maximilian Sunflower. This attractive perennial produces masses of golden yellow 7cm (3in) flowers all the way up the tall stems resembling a Hollyhock. Stunning in borders and a good late summer food source for both birds and butterflies
This collection comprises three beautiful varieties; 'Italian White', 'Harlequin', and 'Velvet Queen'.
Create a masterpece in your own garden! A mix of the very best sunflowers that can be grown together in a small forest of varying heights, each stem producing a bright, sunshine filled sunflower!
This striking sunflower produces rich chocolate coloured blooms with gold-rimmed edges over a long period in summer. Multi-headed and boasting large pollen-free flowers up to 15cm (6) in diameter, Sunflower 'Shock-o-Lat' is ideal planted en masse at the back of a border. The tall, sturdy stems make fabulous cut flowers for a vase indoors too. Height: 1.8m (6'). Spread: 50cm (20).
Plants are bushy and multistemmed, producing up to 20 blooms per plant! The bright yellow, chrysanthemum- type, double and semi-double blooms last for up to 3 weeks on the plants, that's 2 or 3 times longer than other double varieties. Early to flower and perfect for containers and borders, this compact and free-flowering sunflower is set to take gardens by storm this summer!
Easy to grow and a giant in sunflowers. Grows up to 3m (10ft) tall if given plenty of room and boasts eye-catching, huge yellow flowers up to 30cm (12in) in diameter. Excellent for the back of borders, ideal for children to grow and birds love the seeds and will feed from the flower heads in the autumn.
Sow directly outdoors - ready to flower in 12 weeks, the multibranching habit produces several blooms on one plant, ideal for the border and to cut for a vase.