In summer, fields are yellow with sunflowers. You’ll find salted sunflower seeds, or szotyi, everywhere—from street vendors and convenience stores to cafés and bars. They are sold in their shells, and locals tend to eat them by cracking the shells with their teeth, a process that can be oddly therapeutic. It’s not uncommon to see people casually tossing the discarded shells to the ground. Piles can often be seen at bus stops near football stadiums on match days. In our house, we’re more likely to demolish a packet during a movie.

Here are some sunflowers to plant – they’re dwarf so you can grow them on windowsills if you don’t have a garden.