The Spontaneous Growth of Sunflowers in My Yard

While our bird feeders generate a lot mess on the ground, they provide plenty of food for the birds and squirrels while the feeders themselves are occupied. One of the delightful surprises is when some of the seeds actually germinate, and recently some very resilient sunflower plants sprouted. The sunflower above sprouted right next to the feeder, and under the canopy of the tree. It isn't getting nearly enough sun, but it is still doing quite well.

This sunflower is much larger, and gets some direct sun, and it is thriving. What is miraculous is the fact that it sprouted at the edge of the patio that abuts the driveway, and there is only the tiniest crack that allowed it to sprout in what little dirt it could find!  Now that is true resilience in the face of less than optimal conditions.