Five Sunflower Fields to Visit in New England
Late summer calls for frolicking in flower patches.
Photo via Getty Images
‘Tis the season of blooming sunflowers. Between late summer and early fall each year, golden blossoms spring up across the region. Here are five mini road trips to take to sunflower fields in New England—just don’t forget to check peak bloom periods before leaving.
1. Colby Farm—Newbury, Massachusetts
When this huge field in Newbury erupts with a flood of golden petals every September, smartphone-wielding New Englanders can’t help but Instagram it. The sunflower spectacle at Colby Farm is a much loved and much photographed event. The farm’s two-acre flower field was planted 13 years ago, and attracts visitors from across the country.
Colby Farm, 50 Scotland Road, Newbury, Mass., colbyfarms.com.
2. Lyman Orchards—Middlefield, Connecticut
Lyman Orchards isn’t exactly a hop, skip, and a jump from the city, but the drive out to Connecticut is well worth it for these blooms. The Lyman sunflower field is not a field per se—it’s a sunflower maze. Every August, the orchard offers plenty of twists and turns among more than 350,000 blooming red and yellow sunflowers. For admission information, see lymanorchards.com.
32 Reeds Gap Road, Middlefield, Conn., lymanorchards.com.
3. Tangerini’s Spring Street Farm—Millis, Massachusetts
The yellow fields at Tangerini’s aren’t just for passive enjoyment. For $1.25 per stem, visitors can cut their own sunflowers to bring home. Before heading into the fields, stop by the farm stand (and be sure to bring a pair of clippers and a bucket of water from home). Check to see if the flowers are still in bloom by visiting Tangerini’s Facebook page.
139 Spring Street, Millis, Mass., tangerinisfarm.com.
4. Coppal House Farm—Lee, New Hampshire
About 25 minutes outside of Portsmouth lies Coppal House Farm, a 78-acre family farm with enough sunflowers to create a whole festival for. Every year, their five-acre field is open to the public during the optimal blooming period. Because of Mother Nature, the Sunflower Festival’s dates are subject to change from year to year. Call Coppal or visit nhsunflower.com before heading north.
118 North River Road, Lee, NH, nhsunflower.com.
5. Buttonwood Farm—Griswold, Connecticut
Buttonwood Farm’s sunflower fields spread joy beyond their colorful Instagrams—each year, farmers plant 14 acres of the yellow flowers, then harvest more than 300,000 blooms to benefit the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Connecticut. Each July, bouquets of five flowers are exchanged for a $10 donation to the nonprofit. Thanks to Buttonwood’s planting efforts, which began 14 years ago, Griswold has become the sunflower capital of Connecticut.
473 Shetucket Turnpike, Griswold, Conn., buttonwoodfarmicecream.com.
