Large, beautiful and cheerful, sunflowers are the perfect plant to brighten up your garden in the summer. Sunflowers are also very easy plants to grow, and so make a great choice when gardening with children. The seeds should be planted anywhere from mid-March to late-April, making now the ideal time to get planting. Below are some helpful instructions on how to care for your seeds and turn them into happy, healthy flowers.

Sunflowers can be sown either into pots or straight into the ground. If you wish to sow under cover, place your seeds into separate pots and plant out in late May. To sow them outside, pick a space in your garden with direct access to sunlight and well drained soil. Clear the space by raking through the soil and ridding it of any pesky weeds. Place your seeds in making sure they are spaced far enough apart from each other - roughly 6 inches apart, and bury them around 0.5cm deep. Carefully cover them up with soil.

To help them grow, water the seedlings regularly and gently. Remember to also keep an eye on little bugs interested in your flower and direct them away. As the sunflower grows, it might need support for it to hold onto, such as tying the stem to a cane so it does not break. All that's left to do now is step back and watch to see if your sunflower will grow as tall as you!