Community Corner

Dix Park Sunflower Field Is Back July 2019

The City of Raleigh offers tips for visiting the sunflowers.

(Shutterstock)

From the City of Raleigh: Five acres of sunflowers are planted and beginning to sprout at Dorothea Dix Park. Since this enchanting field of flowers debuted last summer, the Raleigh community and beyond have been anticipating the return of this special sight. As we wait for the blooms to appear, the City of Raleigh has some important information to share about visiting the Dix Park Sunflower Field. Knowing this information before you go will hopefully facilitate an exceptional experience for everyone.

Where to find the sunflowers:
Located off Hunt Drive, the sunflower field at Dix Park is located near the soccer fields and the historic cemetery.

When they'll be in bloom:
Weather conditions have caused our sunflowers to grow slower than expected. Fingers crossed they are blooming in time for Destination SunFest on July 13. Stay tuned for updates on their progress. The Dix Park Sunflower Field is for everyone to enjoy and park guests can help ensure that the sunflowers remain beautiful for the whole community. While walking around the sunflower field, visitors are asked to stay on defined paths, keep children and pets from straying into the sunflowers, and to not pick the flowers.

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Visiting hours:
Once they are blooming, the public is invited to visit the sunflower field seven days-a-week from dawn until dusk. Weekday parking is available in the soccer field parking area off Hunt Drive. Visitors can follow signs in the park directing them to this lot. To be respectful of the Department of Health and Human Services employees who work on the Dix Park campus, park guests are asked to avoid all buildings and adjacent parking areas during business hours.

What happens to the sunflowers post-bloom:
The sunflower field at Dix Park is a City of Raleigh inter-departmental project between Public Utilities, Office of Sustainability and Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources. After the bloom is over, Public Utilities harvests the sunflowers to process biodiesel for educational programs and demonstrations. The benefits of sunflowers are not only their ability to become biofuel, but also the flowers are excellent for pollinators.

Find out what's happening in Raleighwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Other related events:

The sunflower field at Dix Park serves as a massive pollinator habitat for bees and other species – which should be starting to bloom as Raleigh celebrates National Pollinator Week June 17 to 23. The community is invited to learn more about the sunflowers planted by the City while celebrating the summer season at our family-friendly festival, Destination SunFest on Saturday, July 13.

For the complete guide to visiting the Dix Park Sunflower Field including directions and parking, visit the Dix Park Sunflower's page.

About Dorothea Dix Park
Dorothea Dix Park is the site of one of the most exciting new park projects in America. 308-acre site blends historic architecture and rich landscapes into a unique destination in the heart of Raleigh, North Carolina. The effort to create Dorothea Dix Park is a public-private partnership between the City of Raleigh and Dorothea Dix Park Conservancy. The City owns and operates Dorothea Dix Park. The Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that exists to support the City by serving as its philanthropic partner. Learn more at dixpark.org.

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