FOR hundreds of local schoolchildren a love of gardening will blossom thanks to their first encounters with the majestic sunflower.

Every year there are competitions to see who can nurture the tallest specimen.

I wonder, then, if my experience is anything to go by, how many of them will be disappointed after the awful weather of last week?

Some of my plants had already reached the height of four feet when the leaves were first of all ripped to shreds by a barrage of hail stones.

Then to put the tin lid on it a couple of days later most of them were toppled and snapped in half by strong winds.

Thankfully, there is still time to sow a late crop, so get planting again. Flaming June!