Every year Elvira and David Wiggs plant about five sunflower seeds in their Garland Street backyard. The plants eventually produce seeds to feed birds, including the turtledoves that nest there. This year one plant took off and grew straight up, topping the Wiggs’ apple trees and even their house chimney. The sunflower is at least twice as tall as Elvira, who is 5’2”. Elvira attributes the extreme height of the plant to the June and July rains. “It’s taller than the one last year,” she says.