EVERY year, plants spring up as a bonus to the birds that have been attracted to the seeds put out for them.
All sorts of exotica, including hemp, appear and Jean Tilbury was delighted with a sunflower with no less than 24 blooms.
But that is as nothing when compared to a report I recall from a national newspaper of one with 104.
Most of the tall varieties of sunflowers, such as American giant and Kong, have one imposing flower head per stem.
Others bloom with multiple flower heads on each stem and most are smaller varieties, good for cultivating in containers and for cutting and taking indoors to add a splash of colour to the home.
A great thing about them is they will grow really well as long as they get sun and a bit of moisture — once they have grown past the vulnerable seedling stage when slugs and snails love to make a meal out of them.