Book excerpt: From Van Gogh's vibrant masterpiece to its ubiquitous presence in American crafts, from sunflower oil to sunflower seeds to The Sunflower State (Kansas), the friendly sunflower is firmly planted as an intrinsic part of our culture and our daily lives. With its sunny disposition, bright colors, and surprising versatility, it is without a doubt one of the most popular flowers around. A comprehensive guide to this remarkable flower, The Ultimate Sunflower Book features descriptions of the different species, diagrams of planting schemes, tips on growing giant sunflowers, and step-by-step instructions for creating beautiful arrangements. It also teaches readers how to dry and prepare the flowers for use in cooking and crafts and includes numerous recipes and a host of fun projects. With its gorgeous photographs, eye-catching design, and hardy jacketed paper-over-board format, The Ultimate Sunflower Book is one reference that gardeners, craft enthusiasts, flower arrangers, cooks, and all fans of the sunflower will enjoy leafing through again and again.