Sonnenblumen

Every year, garden magazine editors receive impressive photos of sunflowers towering over grandchildren by three to four times. This flower makes us all smile; when it "shines" from fields or over a fence, we feel as if it is looking at us – and we beam back. No other flower embodies light and warmth quite like the sunflower. It belongs in every cottage garden and promises abundant harvest blessings as a companion to ripe grain and the first fruits in many late summer flower bouquets. It is even ubiquitous on our menu, from breakfast muesli to evening sunflower bread, and in winter, it provides food for the birds. It’s time to take a closer look at this ancient crop from the New World, as it has so much more to offer.