Above is one of the mammoth Russian sunflowers I grew three years ago. I’m still waiting for them to germinate this year, and I’m already filled with anticipation for the their late dinner-plate gauge blooms. Mammoth Russians have what I imagine to be the greatest joy-per-penny spent ratio in gardening. For as little as 50 cents, you can have an entire flower bed of 12-foot-high yellow wonder awaiting you in August.
