Sunflower Seed Syndrome - A Must Read

If you think this is a darling little flower, then you need to think twice about the dreaded dangers of sunflowers. I came upon this indispensable tidbit in the text "Medical Toxicology, Third Edition" 2003 by E. Martin Caravati and Richard C. Dart:

"Ingestion of large amounts of unhusked sunflower seeds may result in obstipation, rectal pain with defecation, and a "crunchy" sensation on rectal examination. Attempts to defecate enhance the symptoms. Rectal impaction has occurred in children that required removal by endoscopic biopsy forceps and rectal irrigation. Disimpaction may require general anesthesia."

Remarkable! So don't be eating bags of unhusked sunflower seeds.

Campanula carpatica "Blue Clips" just started blooming in the past 3 days:

Fall seeds and leaves

Well, fall is officially here today -- at least that's what the Autumn Equinox and colored leaves are telling us. I have left almost all of the dead flowers and foliage on the perennials to keep them hardy over winter, as they will trap more leaves and snow that way.

The squirrel has found the dried up sunflowers and made quick work of the seed heads.



I planted most of the first box of 135 bulbs from Botanus. Triumph Tulip "Negrita" (dark purple), Single Late Tulip "Florissa" (dark pink), and a bicolored purple/white "Skagit Valley" Tulip are the large bulbs of this fall. I also ordered/planted mini botanical tulips, crocuses, narcissus, and a few others. The show of bulbs in May/June is sure to be pretty next year!

Growing A Garden of Birdseed

The yard is growing well, but many of the perennials are done for the season and others with aspirations of world domination were removed, making me wish I had some annuals to fill up the empty spaces!

These sunflowers grew out of compost laden with birdseed! Resident-lawnmower-man had put the birdseed in the compost (after it got wet and he thought it had gone rotten) and I added the compost to this flowerbed in the spring.

Here's the center raised bed after my "renovations". I am going to add some colorful short annuals to the front next year. I also need to divide the lilies, as they multiply so quickly!






Pictured at right: The pink Digitalis purpura (Foxglove) were started from seed early this year and I am happy to see this late summer bloom.


Pictured at left: The bright pink Echinacea purpura attracts hundred of butterflies and is a joy of the late summer flower garden.