A MIRACLE SUNFLOWER THAT SURVIVED WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM A FRIEND

Okay, I know.  I should get a life!

But enough with waxing eloquent on serious subjects of the day...I want to share a story about a miracle sunflower that refused to die.

The story began in late May when I noticed a delicate little green plant poking through the black mulch surrounding a  couple of cedar trees in my back yard.  Resisting the temptation to pluck it out of the ground as I had with a couple of nearby sprigs of clover and a dandelion, I decided to let it grow for a while just to see what it might turn out to be.  In a week or two, the long tender stem with its two broad leaves, had developed enough to reveal itself as a sunflower, its seed deposited no doubt the previous fall by a chipmunk, squirrel or blue jay.

By this time, I did not have the heart to remove it.   "It's come this far.  I'll give it a chance to grow," I reasoned.  And grow it did, adding new leaves almost daily. 

It was approximately three weeks into my vigil when a rabbit took a liking to the young seedling one evening and reduced it to an eight-inch stick protruding forlornly from the ground.  I was devastated as I pondered its fate, but something seemed to tell me that if I left it alone it may bounce back.  And sure enough, after a couple of days several new leaves began to appear on the bare stem.

Almost miraculously, the plant seemed to thrive over the course of the next week as I gave it a liberal dose of Miracle Gro plant food and regular waterings.  Mother Nature, however, was to deal another blow to the determined little plant by flattening it during a heavy rain storm in mid-June.  "That's it...It's a lost cause now," I thought as I gingerly lifted the fallen patient and propped it up with a piece of wood from my garage.

Two days later and history repeated itself during another storm, this time toppling not only the plant but the stake that had been holding it upright.  There appeared to be a break in the stem a few inches above ground level so I decided to wrap it with masking tape and secured it to an iron planter rod which I inserted into the ground at the base of the plant.  I also added further protection by placing the top of an old cement planter around the rod and plant itself. 

The rescue mission proved successful and against all odds the sunflower continued to flourish.  As it has grown to its present height of 39 inches, I have had to continually secure it to the rod with more masking tape because it has become so top heavy.  Several buds began to appear this past weekend and today (Wednesday) one opened up into a beautiful full sunflower bloom, deep orange at the centre with yellow at the tips of the petals.

We made it!...A remarkable wayward visitor that was given a chance at life, and an old timer who should get one of his own.  We will live vicariously for the balance of the summer, many times bent but never completely broken.