A green-fingered Airdrie schoolgirl has grown her own sunflower in a tribute to her dad’s memory – with the prominent plant currently standing at a whopping eight feet tall.
Youngster Kayla Lowe’s flower – which she has named “Sunny” – would tower over the late wrestling legend Andre the Giant – and is just two-inches shy of the world’s tallest living person, Turk Sultan Kösen.
Caring eight-year-old Kayla, from Whinhall, began her ginormous gardening project through her involvement in the Seasons for Growth programme at school following the “sudden death” of her dad Barry 18 months ago.
The initiative helps children and young people to “understand loss” and supports them “to make sense of their grief” as reactions “can be a key factor in promoting their health and wellbeing”.
Victoria Primary pupil Kayla grew her superlative sunflower as a tribute to her dad – and hopes it isn’t done growing yet.
Her mum Elaine, 37, told the Advertiser: “The sunflower is in our garden and we are just going to let it grow as much as possible.
“It must be one of the tallest sunflowers in the country and Kayla is delighted it has grown so high.
“Neighbours and passers-by can’t believe how tall the flower is and often comment on it; and Kayla’s friends often come in to see it.
“Her brother Jason, 11, is amazed by the flower too; he absolutely loves it.”
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Elaine added: “A member of staff at Victoria Primary was involved in the Seasons for Growth programme, and Kayla joined a small group of kids in planting their own sunflowers.
“She brought the seeds home at Easter time and planted them with her granddad.
“Kayla waters the plant herself every day and it has been re-planted a few times.
“It’s so lovely that she has been able to take part in this project in memory of her dad; the sunflower, and how tall it’s grown, is a wonderful tribute to Barry.
“Kayla is over the moon that her story is going to be featured in the Advertiser and has already told her friends that she’s going to be in the paper.”
And the sensational sunflower success could be set to give young Kayla the gardening bug, as Elaine explained: “Before this, she had a fairy door at the bottom of the garden but wasn’t really into doing any kind of gardening.
“But I think, having seen the way she’s looked after the sunflower and responded to its growth, that she now has a taste for gardening; it may be something she will develop more in the future.”
To find out more about the Seasons for Growth programme, visit www.seasonsforgrowth.org.uk /
