Farmer grows 250,000 sunflowers to make trail

By Douglas Whitbread via SWNS

Incredible photos show how a farmer used 250,000 sunflowers to create a massive trail in his field, bringing in visitors from as far away as Australia.

Crawford Niven, 26, first came up with the idea for his amazing temporary pathway at his farm in Gloagburn Farm, near Perth, Scotland, three years ago.

And now thousands of visitors flock to his estate to walk among the seven-foot-tall flowers, which they’re even allowed to pick and take home.

Crawford admitted he was skeptical that sunflowers would flourish so far north at first, but said the crop had gone on to thrive and he now has 13 acres of them.

Last year, he created a trail in the shape of Scotland, but this time he decided to go with a more random pattern.

He said: “The idea came to me about three years ago. I didn’t think Sunflowers could grow in Scotland, but I’d seen them down south.

“I started with 10 acres, but now we’re up to about 13. It offers a photo opportunity and people love it.

"The first time we did it, it was manic. The roads weren’t nice. But the last two years it’s been ticketed and now it’s under control.

“We have people come from all over. We had a guy who was on holiday from Australia recently who found us and came along.”

He added: “It’s really not that bad to grow the sunflowers.

Gloagburn Farm sunflower trail. (Katielee Arrowsmith via SWNS)

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"The only thing we can’t do is harvest the seeds as Scotland doesn’t have enough sunlight towards the end of the summer.”

Crawford, who also has his own farming YouTube channel, said the bloom will last about four weeks - predicting that the trail would close around August 27.

Visitors are welcome to take either a short 20-minute walk, which has games for kids, or the longer 30 to one-hour trail that’s more suited to adults.

But they need to book in advance to ensure they can enter, with adult tickets purchased online costing £7.75 (about $10) and kids below the age of 12 going free.