Sunflower Chocolate

Near-black mahogany petals round a dark chocolate disc, and nothing in the sunflower range is further from what most people picture. The colour is not aggressive; it is quiet and velvet, and it anchors a warm border rather than dominating it.

It is branching and multi-headed, at 60 to 90cm, so one plant gives a run of cutting stems from July through October rather than a single flower and then nothing. It is also low-pollen, which matters more than it sounds: no yellow dust on the tablecloth.

A dark flower needs contrast to work. Beside a pale sunflower or a bright one it earns its place; on its own in a shady corner it simply disappears.

Sow one seed per pot rather than in a tray, because sunflowers make a taproot fast and hate being disturbed or left pot-bound. Slugs will take the young plants out in the first fortnight after planting if you let them, so protect them until the stems toughen. Water at the base rather than over the heads, and feed fortnightly through midsummer.