Sunflower Varieties You’ll Love for Your French Country Garden and Table

Sunflowers in a French Country Garden

Sunflowers have such timeless appeal they hardly need an introduction! Both beautiful and practical, sunflowers embodying the rustic elegance of a French country garden. Their beautiful golden faces illuminate our gardens and decorate our tables from early summer well into the fall, especially when you stagger their planting, ensuring ongoing color and beauty both inside and out. They are also a very important food source for pollinators.

Pollen free varieties are a popular choice for people with allergies.

Whether you’re wanting some flowers to cut for indoor arrangements or seeking to attract pollinators to your garden, there’s a variety out there that can meet your every need.

Today I’ll share some interesting varieties and open your eyes to some color possibilities you may not have previously considered! We’ll also discuss what to consider when deciding between pollen bearing or hybrid varieties.

Beware of Fakes!

You read that right! There are MANY dishonest seed sellers out there! It is easy to manipulate an image to misrepresent a product; if it looks too good to be true, question it! I see this a lot with pink and blue “sunflowers”. To avoid being swindled, BUY YOUR SEEDS FROM A REPUTABLE SUPPLIER. See the list at the end of this post for some suggestions. I’d hate for you to waste your money and be disappointed.

OK now that unpleasantness is out of the way, let’s get into the article!

Sunflowers can be both elegant and down-to-earth.

Sunflowers With Pollen or Without Pollen?

Why are you growing sunflowers; for pollinators? for cutting? This breakdown should help you determine what to consider and what varieties are right for you!

POLLEN BEARING VARIETIES:

If your goal is to attract and support pollinators, choose pollen bearing varieties. These are often labelled “Open-pollinated” or “Heirloom”. Their nutritious seeds feed birds like chickadees and cardinals, and bees need the protein in their abundant fall pollen when preparing for winter hibernation. With open-pollinated varieties seeds saved for the next season can breed true, making them a sustainable choice for French country gardens.

POLLEN-FREE VARIETIES:

Hybrids, which you might see labeled as ‘F1’ or ‘F2’, are a cross of two different parent plants. They are bred for specific traits desirable for cut flowers, like unique colors, shorter stems, or lack of pollen. While less beneficial to bees and birds, pollen free varieties make striking bouquets that do not stain your tablecloth. These are also excellent for those who struggle with allergies. Some hybrids do have pollen, but if you save seeds and plant them the next year, they will produce plants that look completely different than those you saved them from.

I recommend growing a blend of both pollen-bearing and pollen free types. It’s nice to have a selection of pollen-free varieties for indoor arrangements and pollen-rich blooms for the birds and the bees.

A Color for Everyone’s Taste

Here are some interesting varieties for you to consider, grouped by color! For your convenience, I’ve denoted whether they are considered pollen bearing or not:

BP = Bears pollen
bp = Bears only a very small amount of pollen (“nearly pollen-less”)
NP = No pollen

CLASSIC YELLOW SUNFLOWERS

Even yellow sunflowers now come in many different shapes and shades!

Lemon Queen: Soft lemon-yellow blooms beloved by pollinators (BP)
Russian Mammoth: Towering giants with classic golden heads. Bears lots of seeds, often becoming top heavy and may require staking. (BP)
Soraya: A branching variety with vivid orange-yellow petals. (bp)
Goldy Double: Fluffy, golden-yellow blooms with a bold texture. (NP)
Pacino: A compact yellow variety perfect for small spaces. (NP)

*Lemon Queen* in my garden. Pollinators LOVE this beautiful light yellow variety!

WHITE SUNFLOWERS

These varieties have an ethereal, understated elegance:

Coconut Ice: A variety with a delicate, sophisticated look. Petals begin creamy white and mature to truly pure white. (NP)
Italian White: Subtle and elegant, this branching variety has multiple small blooms with cream-white pale petals around a very dark center. (BP)
Jade: A rare, pale green-tinged sunflower with a modern aesthetic. (NP)
ProCut White Lite: Light yellow faces surrounded by soft, creamy white petals. (NP)

PINK SUNFLOWERS

Rare and romantic, pink sunflowers add unexpected softness to both boquets and the garden.

Pink varieties are often misrepresented online; remember to buy seed from reputable suppliers and watch out for seed scams!

Strawberry Blonde: A branching sunflower variety with pink to cream gradient petals with warm undertones. (NP)
Pro Cut Plum: A blush-pink hybrid perfect for cut flower arrangements. (NP)

RED & BURGUNDY SUNFLOWERS

Deep, dramatic tones add richness and contrast:

Velvet Queen: A dark burgundy sunflower with velvety petals. (BP)
Chianti: A rich, wine-colored variety ideal for moody designs. (NP)
Moulin Rouge: Deep red blooms with velvety textures. (NP)
Pro-Cut Red: Rust-colored, unfurling to deep red wine and crimson with a dark chocolate brown center. (NP)

BI-COLORED SUNFLOWERS

Dynamic blends of color create unique focal points:

Autumn Beauty: A branching variety with a mix of yellows, oranges, and reds. Beautiful for the evoking fall! (BP)
Earthwalker: Bronze and mahogany shades for a rustic look. (BP)
Firecracker: A compact, branching, fiery bi-color sunflower with bright red and gold petals. (NP)
Ring of Fire: Branching, bushy, and drought resistant, this variety has petals that change from red to yellow at the tips, resembling flames. (NP)

Tips for Growing Healthy, Vibrant Sunflowers

Sunflowers are remarkably easy to grow, regardless of your gardening experience! Here are some tips to ensure yours thrive:

Sun requirements: As their name implies, sunflowers adore the sun. Plant in a spot that gets at least 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily.
Soil preparation: While they can grow in a range of soils and are surprisingly hardy, they prefer well-draining, nutrient-rich soil. Adding compost when planting will ensure a healthy start.
Direct Sow your Seeds: Sunflowers don’t enjoy being transplanted. Sow seeds directly into the soil once the danger of frost has passed. Space them according to the variety’s growth habit— freely branching ones need more room to spread as they grow, and taller ones may require staking as they develop.
Water Consistently: Sunflowers need regular watering at first. Once established, they’re drought-tolerant but will produce bigger and more plentiful blooms with consistent hydration.
Support Tall Varieties: If growing giant sunflowers, stake them to prevent wind and rain damage or toppling from the weight of birds feeding on them.
Harvest Smartly: For cut flowers, harvest when blooms are just opening; they will continue to unfurl and enjoy extended vase life. For seed collection, wait until the back of the flower head turns brown and dry. Consider protecting some seed heads from hungry birds and squirrels with loose, fine-mesh netting; ensure it is small enough to not entangle pollinators.

Sunflowers in the French Inspired Garden

Sunflowers fit beautifully with the understated elegance of French country garden style. Here’s how to integrate them seamlessly into your planting scheme:

Borders and Backdrops: Use tall sunflowers as a backdrop for shorter blooms like cosmos, zinnias, or even lavender.
Cottage-Style Beds: Mixing dwarf sunflowers with herbs like rosemary or thyme gives a natural, layered effect.
Garden Structures: Let tall sunflowers flank garden gates, arbors, or fences for a grand, welcoming touch.
Cutting Garden: Dedicate a patch to sunflower varieties perfect for bouquets. Their bold blooms pair beautifully with French blue delphiniums or creamy white hydrangeas.
Edible Garden: Plant sunflowers alongside vegetables like tomatoes or beans. They attract beneficial insects and can even act as natural trellises for climbing plants.

Reliable Seed Sources

While I encourage you to always do your own research, here are some seed suppliers I personally buy from and trust:

That list should get you started! Share below which seed suppliers you frequent and trust so we can all expand our resources!

Whether you’re nurturing pollinators, adding light and color to your garden, or enjoying their cheerful faces in a vase, sunflowers embody the timeless charm of French country gardens.

What are your favorite sunflower varieties? Let us know in the comments!