Fields of radiant sunflowers have bloomed at Raleigh’s Neuse River Greenway Trail drawing attention from people all over the Triangle and even the state.
A beautiful setting for a weekend stroll, run or bike ride, these must-see flowers were planted several years ago by the City of Raleigh to prevent soil erosion into the nearby streams and rivers. The towering beauties are fertilized with biosolids from the Neuse River Resource Recovery Facility wastewater treatment plant and will soon be harvested to produce biodiesel.
Covering more than 50 acres, this is a bright sight you won’t want to miss. According to VisitRaleigh, this weekend is supposed to be the peak of the bloom with the flowers only lasting one or two more weeks, so don’t delay your trip. Do remember to take your smartphone or camera to snap a few pictures of the memorable scene.
You’ll also want to be sure to pay attention to the “No Trespassing” signs posted around the fencing to avoid close contact with the stabilized sludge fertilizer, copperhead snakes, bees and other safety concerns.
According to the City’s website, there are two greenway trail access points that will lead you to the spectacular sunflower display:
Neuse River Greenway Trail
Auburn-Knightdale Access Point
2901 Auburn-Knightdale Road, Raleigh, NC 27610
*approximately 2 miles to the sunflowers
Mial Planation Access Point
6008 Mial Plantation Road, Raleigh, 27610
*approximately 1.5 miles to the sunflowers
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