Theme gardens are always fun and the ideas are endless. They can also be all sizes and even indoors.
One of my favorite theme gardens is a Sunflower House. It’s colorful, gets a lot of attention and comments and best of all I love sunflowers.
My first sunflower house was about 12 foot by 12 foot. I made it big enough that you could sit inside if you wanted. I placed a small bench in the center that I found in an old barn. It had such character!
I planted about seven differerent varieties of sunflowers in all sizes. On the outside row of the house I planted Teddy Bear Sunflowers and Dwarf Sunflowers. In the second row I planted a variety of taller sunflowers.
One the corners I planted sunflowers that grow 15 foot tall. They are a Virginia sunflower seed that has been handed down from generation to generation. I call them Grandfather Sunflowers. I do not know their real name but I have never seen them in seed catalogs.
Every four foot or so I plants several ornamental gourds seeds. I thought the gourds would look nice. On the corners I planted Scarlet Runner Beans, my favorite vine!
I also planted several Rattail Radishes for color and as a natural repellant for the Cucumber Beetle.
I finally added a few geraniums and marigolds. By the entrance I created my own archway usung grapevine I cut from the property. It just added and fun look to the whole garden. I also added a smaller watering can for decoration and to use and a few old narled root pieces for fun.
The Sunflower Garden was a success. The only thing that I didn’t realize would happen is that the bees really enjoyed it too. So I used it in the mornings and evenings and left it to the bees in the afternoons.
Comments
4 responses to “Theme Gardens – Sunflower House”
Where do you get rattail radishes and where did you come up with planting radishes with sunflowers to prevent cucumner beetles?
What kind of sunflowers do you grow? This sounds like a great garden for children
I believe it was Pinetree Seed company. They are an heirloom seed and are carried in the catalogs that carry heirlloms and different seeds. They might also be in Mellingers Seed catalog.
I read about growing radishes with cukes, squash and gourds in Organic gardening and gave it a try, It really does work.
I grow every kind of sunflower I can get my hands on. They look like happiness on a stalk to me. Plus each sunflower has a different look particularly if they are the ones that the colors fade from reds to yellows in the petals. I haven’t grown the green sunflowers, yet…. thats next year. I order sunflowers from seed catalogs to get the best variety. Denise
Nice story. Have you ever made the sunflower tunnels? Clare
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