Recently a field of sunflowers has started to bloom, just a half mile or so from my house. On closer observation it seems to contain a variety of plants and may well be intended as "cover" for game birds, that usually means pheasants around here**. If that is the case it will also provide plenty of feed for the wild bird population too, so I'll be keeping a look-out during the winter months. But for now lets just enjoy the spectacle....
** I've been reading up on the subject and I now believe that this field has been planted with this mix of plants to suppress the growth of weeds, encourage beneficial insects and improve soil structure. There's always something new to learn about farming; at one time they'd have just sprayed the whole lot with chemicals.
Take care.
Dramatic - and lovely. They are a cash crop in some places here and seeing a field of them is always a wonderful sight.
ReplyDeleteYou take care too please.
I am envious of these bits of sunshine - I planted some as an after thought but maybe too late in the season. I wonder if they will flower for me before summer draws to a close.
ReplyDeleteSome lovely details here - I particularly like that back view and also the tightly knitted bud.
Such beauties!
ReplyDeleteIt is double-edged really isn't it John? They are lovely, particularly en masse like this, but I hate the breeding of game birds - done such a lot round here purely for the pleasure of shooting them, But enjoy them while they are in full bloom. As our sun begins to take on the feeling of Autumn so they bring on a feeling of the last of Summer. As usual beautiful photographs.
ReplyDeleteAren't they wonderful? I wish I'd planted some now. Next year...
ReplyDeleteA glorious sight, they make up for our lack of sunshine!!
ReplyDeleteSplendid images!
Beautiful and so cheering on such a damp and grey day:)
ReplyDeleteHi John - beautiful ... the fields must be stunning to walk through and to see - glorious sun-gold ... your walks will be fun ... enjoy - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteThey are such HAPPY flowers. And beautifully photographed - we expect no less! We have a rogue one growing between rose bushes. At first, I thought it was a weed but realised what it was and that I'd pulled about half a dozen others from various places in our little patch.
ReplyDeleteSunflower has become an important commercial crop in many regions, fuelled now doubt by the increased popularity of feeding birds, in addition to the conventional extraction of oil.
ReplyDeleteThey are such pretty flowers. My daughter grows them, well they self seed now, and she entered some in the flower show at the fair and won.
ReplyDeleteOh you are so lucky to have this unbelievably gorgeous field of sunshine nearby. Superb series of sunflower shots John, j'adore 💛🌻💛
ReplyDeleteWow! Isn't that something to see! You did an outstanding job with these photos. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOh how wonderful! I just love fields of sunflowers. Thanks for the great photos.
ReplyDeleteMany of us have been able to enjoy local fields of sunflowers again this summer (me included!) and a day among these golden blooms is like a very special gift. We don't have to get to Provence any longer to see such spectacles!!!! Not that I don't love France, it's just impossible to travel there right now!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos John. Our local display is over now so seeing this one makes me happy.
How wonderful to be out in a field of sunflowers. Whenever I see sunflowers I say to myself, "You've got to plant some seeds for next year. Don't forget." So far, I've forgotten every time. This post will inspire me to remember. So beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous photos. They look amazing en masse - and with a blue sky.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, I've not had that much success with sunflowers this year
ReplyDeleteHow beautiful! You caught them at the perfect moment, too.
ReplyDeleteThese are indeed beauties. And they are so easy to grow from their nice big seeds, and love full sun!
ReplyDeleteGlorious! Sunshine on a stem!
ReplyDeleteSuch wonderful shots, John! They are so cheerful!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos! We sometimes spot a sunflower field around here, like two weeks ago, but not very often.
ReplyDeleteHeipsan,
ReplyDeleteLovely sunflowers. These photos are awesome.
Your sunflowers are gorgeous! What a lovely sight to look out upon. Enjoy them while you can. You have a super day, hugs, Edna B.
ReplyDeleteSunflowers provide such great photo opps, John, as you have shown here. At our former VA home, we grew them one year at the end of the vegetable garden and I spent many hours taking photos and still have so many stored on an external drive. You can't help but smile at their cheerful folors.
ReplyDeleteTienen mucha belleza. En España se cultivan también. Algunas veces he ido para fotografiarlos a alguna de las fincas más cercanas a mi población. No son mu fáciles hacer las fotos porque hay alambradas, que las separan de los caminos ruarales.
ReplyDeleteMe ha encantado tu reportaje.
Beautiful shots!
ReplyDeleteSeeing all these sunflowers in a field would be stunning.
ReplyDeleteWow, really lovely pics of the sunflowers.
ReplyDeleteSunflowers are one of my favorite things on earth! They are so bright and cheerful.
ReplyDelete