Sunflowers also grow wonderfully here, from the Giant Russians to the fuzzy Teddy Bears to the fabulous ones in autumn oranges and golds as well as your classic yellow, either with one single head or branching. I’d put them in the vegie garden to give colour and variety if I thought it would rain regularly this year, or if I’d have the energy to weed and feed them, but this year I’m sticking to the most essential veg, not just to save work and water, but because hungry wildlife tend to regard our garden as their refuge restaurant in dry years. As we humans can actually buy our veg, it seems churlish to drive off the wallabies, bower birds, king parrots et al – though I’m not quite generous enough to make my knees and back ache just so they can have yet another delicacy like sunflowers. (If the wildlife are truly hungry, we do also provide lucerne and grain pellets … and there will be carrot and sweet potato feasting come the holidays.)