We get a lot of volunteer sunflowers, often not near the feeders. The birds apparently perch on top of the greenhouse and deposit seed and fertilizer in the flower bed below it. Ironically, the ones I planted this year did not grow.

My birds tend to leave the sunflower seeds near the feeding area, but we have had Blue Jays take their peanuts to other spots. We'll find those shells far from the feeders. Oh, that is so disappointing that your sunflower planting didn't come up.

My husband grew up on the dry side of Oregon, near the California border. When he tells people he was from Oregon, many don't seem to know there is a dry side.

That's true and the same is true for Washington. The Cascade Mts divide the states, causing most of the moisture to fall on the west sides, where most of the people live.

Back to flowers.... the ones I planted were the tall ones with large faces and interesting colors. The birdseed plants are pretty much like what grows wild along the roads.