What’s the deal with all those sunflowers stopping traffic in the Waxhaw area?
Editor’s note: There are no sunflowers at nearby Misty Meadows Farm at 455 Providence Rd S. This story highlights sunflower fields that were at the intersection of Ennis Road and Providence Road and was published in 2018.
Two sunflower fields have been bringing a lot of buzz near the Waxhaw/Weddington border lately. The roadside fields of nearly 1,000 sunflowers are a popular new photo op, but the busy traffic can make it a little tricky to get to the yellow petals. Here’s a five-step guide to venturing out to the Waxhaw sunflower fields:
What’s the deal with the sunflowers?
The owner of two fields in the Waxhaw area reportedly planted a bunch of sunflowers for the sake of beauty. Said owner at one time wished to remain anonymous. According to Facebook comments, the fields have been drawing crowds of road-trippers and locals looking for a photo shoot (family photos, anyone?).
This year, WBTV reported that field owner Randy Peterson and a group of farmers from Roots Farms planted the seeds to give back to the community. “It’s really uplifting and inspiring, and understanding that we all come from different places, where we can kind of intersect out in a sunflower field, is kind of a neat thing sometimes,” he told WBTV.
Pinpoint the right spot
Navigate to where two popular roads meet: Providence Road (Highway 16) and Ennis Road. The fields are directly in front of this mark. Put it in your Google Maps app.
Be prepared for traffic and parking
Traffic has been known to pick up along the Waxhaw/Weddington border with drivers and pedestrians crossing to see the fields, so be prepared for the potentially treacherous parking situation. Check out the small plot of sand in front of the fields that many are using for parking to go explore through the flowers.
Get your pics, but don’t pick
There is open access for visitors to get into the first sunflower field (where the parking “lot” is), but watch out for the visible signs about not picking the flowers. Don’t worry — you’ll still be able to get the perfect selfie in the open trails through the fields.
Be mindful when exploring. Last season, “No Trespassing” signs warned sightseers against meandering through the field adjacent to the parking lot. This season, the group added a space in front of the flower field specifically for visitors, WBTV reported.
Check out a few nearby stops
After seeing the beauty of the sunflower fields, satisfy your appetite and check out a few lunch stops nearby:
Poppyseeds Bagels (13645 Providence Rd, Weddington, NC): Try The Chelsea specialty sandwich with roast beef, Wisconsin cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onions and mayo on top of a kaiser roll.
Viva Chicken Waverly (11641 Waverly Center Drive, Suite K1): Try the Sopa de Pollo with chicken, chicken broth, cilantro-infused rice, green and red onions, red peppers and cilantro.
This story was originally published September 12, 2018 at 2:20 AM.