This has to be the first picture of a sunflower I’ve ever taken. I’m trying to think where I took this picture but the only thing that’s coming to mind is this must had been taken on a hike. I was still in school in 2016 and didn’t have a garden. I started hiking that year but the only hike that’s coming to mind is Adam’s Canyon. Perhaps it was there I saw this beautifully wild sunflower.

Maybe “wild” isn’t the term now that I have a garden with volunteer sunflowers. That’s it, it’s a volunteer.

As much as I love an ordinary yellow sunflower, I find it quite boring. I love the kinds with more than one color, the kind that looks like it’s been painted.

I think it’s the reason why I love a perfectly good Autumn Beauty sunflower. Did I mention, this is also a volunteer but in the garden?

Earlier this year, while at the Tulip Festival, I saw this interesting variety of tulip. I don’t remember what it’s called but it looks like a pineapple, doesn’t it?

Finally, imagine my surprise to find yellow zinnias blooming this year. I have the seeds of several zinnia varieties on hand – Fireball, California Giants, State Fair, Thumberlina, and Lilliput. I don’t remember which variety this yellow zinnia is but I am pretty sure it’s the California Giants since it’s the only packet of zinnia seeds that features the color yellow.

It was quite a journey growing these because I had to dust them with diatomaceous earth to stop the earwigs from devouring them at night. I’m glad they survived and became these beautiful bushes of flowers.

Days after taking this picture with my phone, the flower got really big, bigger than any of the zinnias I’ve ever grown in the grown. This is my first time growing this variety and I think I will grow it again next year.

Inspired by SundayStills