UPDATE: The Magical Sunflower Maze at Westbury Community Garden is closed for the season. Mother Nature brought an abrupt end to the project when Tropical Storm Nicholas flattened the sunflower field. September 18 and 25 Bouquet Days are also canceled. WCG is already planning improvements for the sunflower field and will bring the maze back again next year.
Come walk The Magical Sunflower Maze of 3,000 multi-colored sunflowers from dwarfs to giants
“I find comfort in contemplating the sunflowers.”
– Vincent Van Gogh
Westbury Community Garden has created a sunflower patch in a 60’ x 60’ maze configuration with 380 feet of meandering mulched paths and an inner 12’ by 20’ room. Visitors who walk the maze will be flanked by sunflowers of 19 varieties of Helianthus species and 2 varieties of Mexican Sunflowers. The flower range from dwarf Teddy Bears to Mongolian Giants.
During the months of April, May and June, 45 volunteers worked about 200 hours on ground-breaking, debris removal, tilling, marking the maze paths and walls, installing irrigation, and finally planting over 3,000 sunflower seeds and mulching the paths, all the while battling record-setting rainfall and mud. In July, the sunflower plants emerged along with vigorous grasses. Again, volunteers nurtured the sunflowers and pulled the competing grass.
In August, the blazing heat caused the sunflowers to bloom, though they had not yet reached their full height – our early weather delays had thrown the timing off. Still, we have a maze full of 5 foot sunny, beautiful flowers and beginning September 11, the maze will be available for private events.
The five foot walls of sunflowers are perfectly suited for K through 2nd graders to have fun with the map-reading game the garden has devised. Maps can be found in brochure boxes on site.
In the era of COVID, the idea for The Magical Sunflower Maze was conceived as an outdoor activity that families or small groups of friends could do on their own, rather than the usual festival type affair that the community garden has hosted in years past. Individuals or small groups may book time in the maze using a self-scheduling app for a small donation to WCG.
Additionally, Sunflower Bouquets will be available on Saturday mornings, 9:00 AM till 12:00 PM for $2 a stem on the following dates:
September 11
September 18
September 25
Make your plans to visit The Magical Sunflower Maze at Westbury Community Garden this fall and take home a sunny, sunflower bouquet. As always, the garden appreciates your support.