'˜Get sowing and growing' - who can grow the tallest sunflower?

Five thousand free packs of sunflower seeds are being distributed to schoolchildren in Mid and East Antrim Borough.
Mayor Cllr Audrey Wales distributes seeds for the Tallest Sunflower competition.Mayor Cllr Audrey Wales distributes seeds for the Tallest Sunflower competition.
Mayor Cllr Audrey Wales distributes seeds for the Tallest Sunflower competition.

Mayor Councillor Audrey Wales says that she wants pupils to get “sowing and growing” for entry into the Mid and East Antrim In Bloom Tallest Sunflower competition later this year.

Cllr Wales said: “Each year we deliver 5,000 free packets of sunflower seeds to local school children as part of the Mid and East Antrim In Bloom campaign and community competitions and we have been back on tour again.

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“All entrants to the Mid and East Antrim In Bloom Community competitions have the chance to win great prizes and winners will be invited along to a prize giving ceremony in October.

There are ten community competitions with great prizes available for winners and runners up in each.

Categories include Best Kept Front Garden; Best Kept Allotment Garden; Best Kept Commercial Premises; Best Kept Community Planting Scheme and the Gardening for Wildlife Award.

The mayor continued: “We have four competitions specifically for our young horticulturalists too – Painting Competition; Poetry Competition; Best School Gardening Project and of course, the hotly contested Tallest Sunflower Competition.

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“Last year’s winner was James Brown Kerr, aged seven, from Cullybackey, whose sunflower grew a mighty three metres.

“Runners-up were Laura Stewart, aged 12, from Ahoghill, with a blooming 2 metre 85cm sunflower and Noah McTeggart-Hughes, age four, from Ballycarry, who grew an impressive 2 metre 70cm sunflower. Do you think you can grow a taller sunflower this year?

“I wish all the entrants good luck in the competition this year.”