In 2008, our summer was reduced to many a rainy day. This was the first year I tried to grow sunflowers, obviously successfully. But it was a trial to make sure, when they were little, that they didn't completely drown. We didn't have many visitors to the heavily pollinated centers of the flowers and when we did it was only for brief periods of time. This bumble bee ventured out right after a rain had fallen to scoop up as much as he could before bumbling off again. 2008-2012.