Potted plants, pink petunias
Terri Webster Schrandt

Sunday Stills: The Glowing Life of #Plants

What makes the great outdoors so beautiful are plants, trees, and flowers — in other words, plant life.

I enjoyed your images of furry and feathered friends last week, and now it’s time to share our plant life.

“Plants are solar powered air purifiers whose filter never needs replacing.” – Khang Kijarro Nguyen

But First, A Little Science

Plant life engages all of our biological senses — sight, touch, taste, smell, and hearing.

Do you talk to your plants? Would you admit it if you do?

purple lavender flower

It is well known that plants respond to the human voice (those vibrations of sound), and the carbon dioxide expelled in our breath. By getting close to a plant, you can see its wonderful details, and you can breathe in its scent like the lavender above. It gets some carbon dioxide and provides oxygen in the air. It’s a win-win!

“Plants give us oxygen for the lungs and for the soul.” ~ Terri Guillemets

Recent studies by local Washington State University at Pullman suggest that plants respond to touch at the cellular level.

“When the touch is first applied (by a fine glass rod), the cell sends a slow calcium signal wave to other cells. When the touch is released, a faster wave is created.” Source

Some plants like the Mimosa (aka Touch-Me-Not), when touched, respond by closing their leaves, similar to carnivorous plants (Venus Flytrap) that are triggered to snap closed when an insect lands on them. These are biological traits for the survival of the plant.

And we have four tomato plants — so taste is covered.

Potted garden plants

Outside we hear our plant life on a breezy day. One of my favorite sounds in nature is hearing the sound of the wind flowing gently through the evergreen trees. That shush of wind soughing through the trees–a rushing, rustling, or murmuring sound–is a delight.

“…Where the trees dance as the wind blows…” Kathy Mattea

Evergreens in Idaho

When we first moved to Washington, we walked outside and I suddenly stopped and told my hubby, “Sshh, do you hear it? There’s that sound.” As kids, whenever we camped in Yosemite, we could hear the soughing because of the quiet. If only I could bottle it.

We planted five Quaking Aspens so far. When the wind blows, they make that delightful rustling sound.

quaking aspens
Quaking Aspens South View of Backyard

“A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” – Greek proverb

Quaking aspens are part of the willow family, and they need to be planted close to one another. We have three planted together (shown above) and two together in another part of the yard. They are a community tree and thrive in groves.

“Above ground, aspen grow as individual trees, but below ground they’re enlivened by one interconnected set of roots.” ~ Mark Nepo

Between the rustling aspens and soughing evergreens, it’s downright noisy here.

While you are out there talking to your trees and plants, and touching their leaves, they can feel your touch as well as your breath. Perhaps now that you understand the science behind our wonderful plant life, you won’t feel so silly talking to and touching your plants.

Sunflower Fields Forever

Field of sunflowers

Did you know I’m infatuated with sunflowers? Let me tell you my story of sunflowers.

Who would have thought that I would see more sunflowers now that we live in Eastern Washington compared to Sacramento? Sure, in Sacramento there were plenty to see—mostly the traditional ones planted by neighbors, but they only bloomed from May to September.

non-stop Sunflowers, a story of transition

I’ve shown you our wild arrowleaf balsamroot sunflowers that bloom in late March and are spent by the end of May. Our hillsides and fields are covered with them as they languish under those noisy evergreens.

arrowleaf balsamroot sunflower
Wild Sunflower bushes everywhere!

When summer begins here, the common or traditional sunflowers bloom by the first part of July, much like they did in Sacramento.

lazy opening of sunflower petals
sunflower looks to the sky
Sunflower Seedlings
Infant Sunflowers
Sacramento Sunflowers

But…there is a gap…

In that gap, especially this year with all the snow we had, hundreds of Brown-Eyed Susans or coneflowers have popped up everywhere.

Brown-Eyed Susans line the road
Yellow brown eyed susan flower
Brown-Eyed Susan — fun with editing

These transitional wild sunflowers fill in the gap left by the arrowleaf sunflowers in May, just as the common sunflowers begin to bloom in July.

Last year, when we returned from our 5-week summer road trip, we arrived home in mid-July to hundreds of sunflowers in our backyard—all volunteers, likely from random neighbors’ gardens helped by wind and birds.

volunteer sunflowers
Volunteer Sunflowers in 2022

I didn’t have to mess around planting seeds and cultivating them. As much as I enjoyed that in the past, so I could have sunflowers in my backyard (and unending photo ops), now I can get them all free! If I want different varieties, yes, I will have to plant the seeds and urge them to grow. I may need a greenhouse for that project.

Sunflower bud and ladybug
Anticip-a-a-tion…2023 sunflower bud

Non-stop sunflowers from March through October– eight months of sunflowers.

My infatuation is satisfied…. for now.

yellow and orange bearded iris

Speaking of volunteer plants, how about this bearded iris randomly growing on the State Park land at the intersection of our street?

For now, I will enjoy nature’s free show.

Faux Show

My thumb is anything but green, hence my love of wildflowers and volunteers, so I prefer to decorate the inside of my home with faux flowers. I can’t kill them and I can decorate seasonally. I get a decent discount at the local craft and hobby stores if I buy florals out of season or on sale.

“A beautiful plant is like having a friend around the house.” – Beth Ditto

gold and citrine colors on mug
sunflowers in mirror
harvest and black skull
autumn decor dining table
Seasons of Faux Sunflowers

Saving the Bee-est for Last

“The bee buzzed past again, flying in spirals toward the water…As I stared at the bee, it seemed to me its yellow bands began to glow brightly.” ― Heather Webber

Bee on orange sunflower
Resistance is Futile

Sunflowers and other flowers attract bees and butterflies like nobody’s business. Partially inspired by Denzil’s nature challenge–bees–I present a bee-utiful gallery:

Bee & Sunflower
Busy bee is anything but lazy
Bee on sunflower macro
bumblebee on sweetpea
Bumblebee on Sweetpea
Awakening of spring and bee
Bee on Spanish Lavender
pink flower with bee
Close-up Bee Flower and Bee
Bee on glowing sunflower
Bee glows with pollen

“Warm, mellow summer. The glowing sunbeams make every nerve tingle.” ~ John Muir, My First Summer in the Sierra

Sunflower Sunset
Glowing Sunflower Sunset

“Life tells the most beautiful stories.” ― Adrienne Posey

Inspiring Photo Challenges This Week

Each week I find inspiration from my fellow bloggers’ photo challenges. I enjoy incorporating these into my Sunday Stills weekly themes.

Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders

The Sunday Stills weekly-themed photo challenge is easy to join. You have all week to share and link your post.

  • Remember to title your blog post a little differently than mine.
  • Please create a new post for the theme or link a recent one.
  • Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
  • Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
  • Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post.
  • I also recommend adding your post’s URL to the comments.

This Week’s Featured Bloggers

Sunday Stills is a wonderful community of bloggers, poets, writers, and photographers who desire to connect with one another. Below are this week’s links from bloggers who shared their photos of plant life. I add these all week as new links are posted.

Themes for July are ready to view on my Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Page. This page is updated monthly and I am open to YOUR theme ideas, too! Join me July 2nd for a look at all things “historical.”

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146 comments

  9. Gorgeous photos! And your description brought back lovely memories of the soughing of the evergreens that I’ve always loved. Nothing like that sound, is there? Black-eyed Susans became one of my favorite flowers while we lived in Maryland, since it’s the state flower and we had tons of them growing as volunteers all over our yard. Perfect, since I didn’t have to tend them! 😉

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  11. Terri,
    I’m late again, but I always enjoy reading the thoughtful comments of your readers, and you brought out a lot of them this week. Earlier this week, I spotted some lovely coneflowers in another neighborhood I wanted to share. The time got away from me, but I went out early this morning and took this shot before the good light went away. I think these flowers send off some great vibes. Great job! Joe

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  16. When I read that plants and flowers can feel our touch and breath, I immediately thought of one of my favourite movies – The Day Of The Triffids,’ Terri. But that’s the dark side of me making itself known first.

    I’m also a lover of sunflowers. My Great Grandniece is growing her first sunflower this year. She planted it at Nursery, and it’s already growing, although there is no sign of flowering yet. She’s very excited about it. I think she may already have green fingers.

    We’ve noticed that many of our plants have done well this year and put it down to the very cold December last year. We moved some of our house plants into the garage to make space for Christmas trees; they have all produced flowers this year. They don’t normally produce flowers.

    Here’s my entry for this week—the small word of plants.

    These small mushrooms pop up every autumn in our garden. Some are poisonous, so we leave them alone and buy ours from the supermarket.

    Have a great rest of the week.

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    • Now I’m going to check out that movie, Hugh. Last winter’s snow and rain seemed to have brought out more weeds and wildflowers for many. Since we have lived in Eastern Washington, we haven’t had a predictable season that counts as normal. Everything seems extreme, from heat to snow and rain. Our Earth is mad at us and letting us know she’s still the boss!

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      • I agree, Terri. We had a heatwave in early June. It did not last long, but we had never had one so early in the season before. And now it’s dull with a heavy drizzle but still humid. And last December was very cold, with temperatures going below freezing for over ten days. When I saw snow lying here on the coast in mid-March, I knew then that climate change also means it can snow anytime. But I’m glad the extreme cold helped these plants come more to life this spring and summer.

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  17. What a popular post, Terri. I like the way you tied all the senses to plants. Very creative – especially hearing. They do make noise when you add wind. Your photo of the sunflowers is outstanding in their field! As you figured, I have lots of plants in my “glowing” post. I am so like you, sista. Growing plants are easy if they are made of plastic, fiber, paper, or whatever they make plants out of at Michaels. I remember taking a class on making paper flowers as a middle schooler. I loved it. Have a great rest of your week. I’m in Scottsdale this week and Vince is manning the kitchen project.

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    • Thank you, Marsha! I have discovered that bloggers love to share their pets, gardens and their colors (usually florals). If it wasn’t for faux florals and plants my house would be bare!

      I’m looking forward to your glowing post. I had to tie it in early because it won’t work with next week’s “historical” theme. Plus its a holiday weekend and you know what that means, LOL! Hope all is well in hot Scottsdale. We are getting rained on right now but temps will soar to 90 over the next few days.

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      • It sounds pretty hot there! 90s! Who doesn’t love to share their pets and their flowers. I remember every time we went to my Grandma’s (which was about 3-4 X per week, we had to take a walk around the house before we did anything else to see all the new growth. Her flowers don’t hold a candle to all the fancy gardens I see from my blogging friend’s pictures. I’m enjoying all the decorating going on at our place. You are an inspiration.

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      • Thank you, my friend. That’s funny you had to walk around your grandma’s house to look at flowers. We had two hours of thunderstorms last evening. I had just watered everything then the sky opened up. I saw it coming but here it looks like rain but nothing much happens. We woke up to fog. I’m starting my new early morning walks today…so not motivated 🥴

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      • haha The monsoons don’t always drop any moisture here either. I just got back from a walk – not too bad at 87 because there is some shade along the way. I can’t imagine fog in the summertime. Even in IN when it rained most of the summer, I don’t remember fog. You may beat me this week in steps. I only got 5,000 yesterday. We need to chat soon instead of me tying up your Sunday Stills box.

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  20. Such a lovely sunflower summer for you. I’m with you. I love the sound of the wind in the tall trees. When we had my grandson at the GC, he kept talking about the whooshing. Being from the desert, I don’t thin the had hears that before. I thought it was special.

    And yes, I talk to my plants, and the bugs that crawl on them.

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  21. What a beautiful post, Terri. Not only the vast array of sunflowers but a tour through the senses of our living world. It surprises me not at all that plants are complex beings and integrated into the animal (and human) ecosystem. We have such a terrible tendency to compartmentalize life that we sometimes miss out on how it’s/we’re all connected. Loved this. 🙂

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  25. Some super shots here Terri, thanks for joining my challenge and for linking to my mimosa post. And for encouraging us to remember to talk to and touch our local plants. We are all connected at some point or another, with everything on the planet.

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  27. This was a beautiful post Terri – visually, and all the wonderful bites of info about how nature works with the plants. Yes, I do talk to my ‘few plants’, few, because I’m not the worst green thumb, but my orchids are growing big healthy leaves, but no a bloom yet. Do you know anything about fussy orchids? I know how to water them and they are vibrant for well over a year now. The blooms lasted almost six months! Maybe I need to breathe some carbon dioxide on them. 🙂 xx

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  38. I wanted to add just how much I learned here too. I have taken to brushing my hand as I walk past some trees and plants…to let them know I appreciate them. Yellow in nature truly IS the sunniest colour of all. My late Mum who did garden with flowers, used to say put a yellow pansy near the purple ones as they both shine better that way and she is right! I tend to look for yellow even though my fave colours are in the pinks and purples.

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  42. Hi Terri! As you know, I’m a big fan of sunflowers too. I have trained my neighbor to grow sunflowers every year for me (he plants them just on the other side of our shared wall so I can visit them every day just by peeking over). I really like you picture of the emerging flower with the lady bug… very nice.

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  43. Terri, I would love looking outside and seeing a sea of sunflowers eight months of the year. That makes up for your harsh Winter that began in November last year for you. I have heard about the Quaking Aspens in the past and when you were writing about the wind rustling the leaves, I immediately thought of Quaking Aspens. I do think I heard the recent story on the national news about plants responding to touch. I cannot say I talked to my plants, except to call my one and only climbing rose a few choice names for its ever-present black spot. I have silk flowers in pots formerly used for annuals in my front yard and side yard. Hanging baskets of them as well. No deadheading, watering – they look fresh as a daisy all the time. Which reminds me of the debacle of having Gerbera Daisies, those perky, pretty Daisies that promptly faint if they are out in the sun too long. One Summer of moving them from one shady spot to the next to preserve only to have them bending to the ground anyway had me at Michaels looking for a silk alternative. 🙂

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    • Hahaha, I totally get it Linda! I had to rethink my planing habits here since we have little shade for now. In Sacramento the whole yard was in shade all day. I have my two big hydrangeas in pots on rollers so I can move them under our gazebo most of the day. I also have a hanging potted impatiens that I move around. Oh well. I fear any faux plants would melt or fade in our dry summer alpine heat.

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      • You’ll have more shade when all those trees mature, then you will re-plan your garden again. Our gardens are getting torrential rain tonight after our earlier severe weather. It is feast or famine with the rainfall this year. My Twist-and-Shout Hydrangeas did not return this year … no words. They were beautiful into last Fall.

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  44. Wow, Terri! So much great information and your plant photos are absolutely fabulous! I’d have to say the close-ups of the lavender and the sunflower bud are my favorites! And yes, I do talk to plants, but I talk to birds more often. Hoping to join the party later this week. 🙂

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  46. Wow! Such an informative post! And your collection of sunflower pictures is fantastic!
    I talk to and touch my plants always as I feel that they are part of our family. I would love to stand near your Aspens and listen to them… what a lovely sound they make.
    Have a wonderful week to come, Terri!

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  47. Too many beautiful flower photos to comment on individually, Terri. I love sunflowers and that iris is gorgeous. We used to see fields of sunflowers in South Dakota on our way to Wyoming each summer. They always look so cheerful. I miss that as our trip now comes from a completely different direction.

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  48. I love all your sunflowers Terri and yes I did know you were infatuated with them because I am too! I learnt a new word from you, sloughing, while I knew the sound you talked about I didn’t know there was a word for it, so thanks for that! Another lovely post that showcases your amazing photography!

    I’ve taken the opportunity to share some shots from our recent garden wanderings.

    A quintessential English garden party #SundayStills

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  53. Okay, yes, I admit it, I’m jealous of all of your flowers!! Maybe, just maybe, before the snow flies I’ll see a few flowers in my garden beds. Until then, I know where I can see stunning ones here on your blog! I do talk to my plants, but maybe not enough after reading your lesson on why it’s important. I rarely touch them too – just when watering. I do remember seeing my daughter who LOVES plants touching hers as she walks by them. Her plants thrive so well. I love to listen to the leaves on the trees blow in the wind too. Sometimes I can close my eyes and imagine I’m on a beach somewhere listening to a palm tree. Your post hit many emotions today! Happy almost the end of June…that was hard to type. We need more time with nice weather, right? 🥰😉

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  61. Oh my gosh!! You have so many amazing photos!! I see you changed your watermark. It’s quite a bit more visible. We have wild brown eyes Susans here but not as many as usual this year. Bernie

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    • Thank you, Bernie! We get a fair share of the brown-eyed Susans but this year seems to be a bonanza. Thanks for noticing the watermark–I created a couple of the sunflower ones a couple of years ago. I like to mix ’em up 🙂

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  63. Lovely floral images Terri! But I’m surprised that when you lived in Sacramento you never discovered the sunflower field in Yolo County. I’m waiting patiently for them to bloom. Your bee section was amazing. These busy bees do so much for us.

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    • Thank you, Stevie! I need to drive back over to that field and get some fresh pictures. Last year we went too late. At least you have flowers on your tomatoes, a good sign! We have two cherry tomato plants this year and two more regular plants.

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  66. What a delightful discussion of the plants and trees. I’ve also read that trees communicate with each other through their root systems. Maybe that’s why you see groves of Quaking Aspen, birch, etc. Beautiful photos. Thanks so much, Terri. 💜

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    • Plant life is truly a fascinating set of subjects, Colleen! Thank you. I read years ago that aspens must be planted together or they don’t thrive. Luckily aspens grow like weeds here–I know they do in Colorado where you lived before. I haven’t seen birch here yet, but I love those too!

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      • We lived in Montana for 17 years. We planted aspens there as well. I love the sound of the leaves, too. Colorado didn’t have as many aspen, but we were pretty high up. That’s why we left. The elevation was too high for me.

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      • We were in Great Falls which was more flat prairie land. Same with Colorado… we stayed near the Air Force bases as my husband is retired USAF. Aspen grew well there. The larch were more in the mountains. If I remember correctly, there was some sort of beetle destroying the larch trees.

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  67. I love sunflowers and free ones are a definite bonus! The bearded iris is stunning. A lovely colourful selection, Terri.
    I do find myself talking to the plants sometimes LOL especially the oak sapling. I’m desperate for it to grow but I guess I’ll just have to be patient. I planted a rowan tree which has grown quite quickly, and a couple of hawthorns. We haven’t got a huge garden so I think that’s probably enough trees…never say never though…

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    • Thank you, Natalie! Some sunflowers were oldie-but-goodie pics. There are bees and butterflies everywhere now even on some of the other wildflowers. Our tomato plants should give us a great harvest all summer! I was so pleased to see all these cone flowers pop up all over–so colorful

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