Sunflower

Aren't sunflowers spectacular!  They aren't exquisitely beautiful or delicate, but there is something about them that draws me in.  Their vivid color and unique personality light up my garden; when walking through the farmer's market I am inevitably drawn to the stands selling sunflowers.

Every year many of my sunflowers reseed themselves, and every year I add a few new plants, so I have an interesting mix of varieties.   

I believe some of them get a little mixed up!

The bees especially like the sunflowers this year!

I enjoy being in my garden so much!  It is like a jungle this year with all the rain we've been getting!!  I love sitting or weeding in the garden, it gets so quiet I can hear the buzzing of the bees, and often goldfinches come to visit and eat the sunflower seeds.  It's just so tranquil and serene!   

My designer made this sunflower hair-clip for me, it goes perfectly with the garden, I almost blend in!  

     

Many artists have been inspired to paint sunflowers.   

Here are some that have inspired me.

Claude Monet

"I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers."
- Claude Monet

Richard Leblanc

Naturally, I love fields of sunflowers too!  These two paintings capture the almost surreal quality of sunflower fields.  The bright golden yellows are complemented perfectly by the warm, Mediterranean landscape hues.  

Richard Leblanc

Georgia O'Keefe

Gustav Klimt

Although it doesn't, I like to imagine that my garden looks something like this....

Gustav Klimt

Lowell Herrero

Two Sunflowers Move in the Yellow Room -- William Blake

"Ah, William, we're weary of weather, "
said the sunflowers, shining with dew.
"Our traveling habits have tired us.
Can you give us a room with a view?"

They arranged themselves at the window
and counted the steps of the sun,
and they both took root in the carpet
where the topaz tortoises run.