Why sunflowers?

Sunflowers are the most beautiful flowers in the world. They are bright, they are happy, they are tall, they are nourishment and they come in multiple sizes and colours. When my husband and I were married over 22 years ago, I remember being on such a strict budget. I wanted my dream wedding without breaking the bank! We had just purchased our first home and we didn’t want to spend money unnecessarily on trivial items like flowers. Our first house was a little town house, attached on each side to our neighbours. Our yard being small and narrow, I decided to grow a very special garden. One of the first flowers I planted were sunflowers. Not only did they add happiness to my life, they also had the added benefit of being tall enough to hide my neighbour’s yard. When I walked in my garden, I could almost forget I even had neighbours at all! It was so peaceful and the sunflowers were like trees that had grown from a seed in only a couple of months. It was incredible. I had climbing beans growing up their solid stems so I was able to use the sunflowers as decorative poles. They also attracted beautiful wildlife. From birds to squirrels to bees…every little creature seemed to enjoy the sunflowers. I had thought of making my own bouquets with these sunflowers but I needed to accept the fact that my time would be limited the day of my wedding and I wasn’t sure I could pull it off. One day, I entered my local flower shop and I asked a little embarrassed what the least expensive flower bouquet she could possibly make for a wedding. To my surprise, she said sunflowers and daisies. I was relieved. I loved both and yellow was definitely one of my favourite colours! And since our wedding was held in a old town village setting in an old chapel, that rustic feel of sunflowers seemed perfect…and it was! To this day, sunflowers remain my favourite flower and I plant them every year! They remind me of my wedding day, my first house and of the importance of tranquility. They are a constant reminder to stay strong, to find the light, to bring joy to others.