Sunflowers make Kintyre smile
Thanks to a Kintyre farmer’s green fingers, motorists on the A83 just outside Campbeltown may believe they are in France. David H Young planted 0.2 hectares of his Glencraigs farmland, running alongside the road, with sunflowers, many of which now tower as high as six feet tall. There is a constant stream of vehicles pulling in at the bottom of the farm track to admire the bright flowers and take photographs. ‘I planted them beside the road so people would see them,’ David said. ‘I’ve tried them in the garden before and they’ve never grown very high but I just took a notion to do it this year and I’m very happy with how it has turned out. ‘I’ve had so many comments from people, a lot saying it reminds them of France.’ David thinks the long, hot summer has helped the flowers flourish this year, and said he doesn’t think they’re usually grown commercially in the UK above Lincolnshire. A wildlife fan, David is pleased to see the number of bees attracted to the massive, golden flowerheads. Margaret Mackay, from Northumberland, who has been visiting Kintyre for 14 years, contacted the Courier and said: ‘Such a lovely idea to brighten up the roadside and help nature through pollination. ‘I hope the farmer does it again and the idea catches on.’ Although he is selling the flowers for 50p a stalk, David insists he hasn’t grown them for financial purposes. ‘I just did it to spread a little happiness, and it seems to have made a lot of folk happy. ‘Farming can be a miserable job at times, with the weather and things, so it’s nice to have something to smile about.’ David has his thinking cap on about how to brighten up the roadside next year and welcomes all suggestions.