For six years now, 92-year-old Jan Willem Hilbolling from Gieten has been planting his sunflower seeds in his garden in April. Supported by his 81-year-old friend Kees Lanting, he takes care of the flowers. And this year they have not grown, but have sprung up. The tallest flower has reached a height of three and a half meters.
“I didn’t expect this,” says Hilbolling. “It also depends on the conditions, such as the sun and how good the seed is. I also always throw in a handful of dry cow manure to let them grow.” Good friend Kees is also impressed. “A crown on the work of recent years. They are already starting to hang, those heads are so heavy and large.”
The flowers are also interesting for the rest of the Dekelhem nursing home in Gieten. “I have people watching here every morning,” says Hilbolling. Despite the fact that the care is not always going well for the 92-year-old flower fanatic, he will just try again next year. “Certainly, it only depends on the seed whether they will grow that big again. We’ll have to wait and see.”
Curious what the sunflower looks like? Check it out below.