Late Bloomers Awards
We know that not everyone had flowers bloom in time, or tall enough sunflowers at end of the main projects (Wednesday 10 December), due to local weather or timing.
To give everyone a fair go, we’re running the Late Bloomers Awards.
Kindergartens can submit measurements and photos of their best Late Bloomer sunflowers anytime from Thursday 11 December 2025 to Tuesday 10 February 2026.
Prizes
Late Bloomers Tallest Sunflower Award
$100 Daltons Gardening Product Prize Pack
$100 Warehouse voucher
GARDENA Classic Water Sprayer
Late Bloomers Sunflower with the Widest Head
$100 Daltons Gardening Product Prize Pack
$100 Warehouse voucher
GARDENA Classic Water Sprayer
These awards are only open to those who did not receive an award in the main 2025 Daltons Sunflowers in Kindergartens Project. Good luck!
Your Measurements
- You can enter your final measurements and photos below before 6pm, Tuesday 10 February 2026.
- All measurements must be taken using the Daltons measuring tape provided in your starter packs along with photographs.
- Local media will want photos of the children with the sunflowers and may use them in stories about Late Bloomers. Please ensure you upload some photos for this.
✔ Your Final Checklist
What you need for your final online submission:
- Make sure you have taken the measurments correctly - see examples on how to do this below.
- Your kindergarten's Tallest Sunflower measurement AND verification photos.
- If applicable - your kindergarten's Widest Sunflower Head measurement (if applicable) AND verification photos.
- Photos of children with the tallest/widest sunflowers for local media. Please put their name and age.
Measuring your tallest sunflower (each region)
- Measurements are to be taken from the bottom of the plant (ground) to the base of the sunflower head or green bud using the Daltons measuring tape. Do not include the sunflower head/bloom.
- Entrants must provide a close-up photo of the measurement taken underneath the flower head/ bud (Follow the image examples.)
- Entrants must provide a photo showing the plant in its entirety (ground to top of the plant) (Follow the image examples.)
Measuring your sunflower with the widest head (each region)
- Measurements should be the width (taken from left to right) across the sunflower bloom “face” only and must NOT include the petals.
- Entrants must provide a photo of this using the Daltons measuring tape. (Follow the image example.)
Submit Final Photos and Measurements
Trouble Uploading?
Having problems uploading your photo? Please ensure you read through the Sunflower Top Photo Tips guide.
If you're still experiencing difficulties you can email your .jpg files to [email protected]
Thank you to our Sponsors
A huge thank you to our sponsors, Kings Seeds, The Warehouse and GARDENA who join us again this year and help make this project possible.
Kings Seeds have been a partner of the project since its inception and supply Sunflower Skyscraper Seeds - without them we have no project!
The Warehouse has been a valued project partner since 2013 and generously donate vouchers for our winner’s prize packs.
GARDENA kindly donate one of their fantastic watering nozzles into our winner’s prize packs.
*This Daltons Sunflowers in Kindergartens Project is only running in selected regions of New Zealand for 2023 in participating kindergarten associations.
For more information, please review the project terms and conditions here.
