ARCHIVED - Sunflowers bask in the Provence sunshine......or is that the Murcian sunshine

Sunflowers are becoming a more common sight in Murcia, in both agricultural cultivation and parks

Parques de Murcia shared a little video snip this morning showing sunflowers growing in the Jardín de Floridablanca in the centre of Murcia city.

Hardier and longer-lasting than traditional "bedding plants" they're becoming increasingly common in the region, with farmers starting to grow them as a commercial crop, as they search for alternatives to some of the more heavily irrigated and water-dependent crops formerly grown in the region as well as becoming more fashionable in public gardens.

¡Qué bonitos los girasoles 🌻🌻🌻🌻en Holanda!. Son tan fotográficos📸📸, pero espera...ese fondo...parece Murcia. Sí, es el jardín 🙃🙃de Floridablanca. Ahí puedes ver estas ðŸ˜�maravillas. Cuidando 👩‍🌾👩‍🌾Murcia, con @AytoMurcia , @nhoa81. #StvGestión #ActúaSM @PorquesNatura pic.twitter.com/EWd4V0h8KZ

— Parques de Murcia (@parquesdemurcia) July 28, 2021

This is in part due to the drive to reduce irrigated crops in environmentally sensitive areas, as well as the problems experienced by the agricultural sector during the last few years relating to drought, increased water costs due to the reduction in water transfers from the Tajo Segura canal system and increased use of more expensive desalinated water.

Sunflowers provide longer-lasting colour and are certainly more tolerant to the more varied weather conditions experienced in the last couple of years, as well as being available in a multitude of colours and varieties.

Good to see them replacing soft-stemmed bedding plants which require more intensive watering and are more vulnerable to climatic change!