She Had Almost Everything She Needed

We planted her from seed in the same bin as our cherry tree.

I didn’t think the tree survived the winter. So when new shoots started pushing through the soil, I was surprised. And there, right next to them, the sunflower we planted was coming up too.

That bin sits on top of our old compost pile. All those years of kitchen scraps, eggshells, and coffee grounds turned into rich, dark soil. It gets just the right amount of sun. We kept her watered and watched her grow. She reached about 14 feet tall and was absolutely stunning.

She had the sun. She had the water. She had the rich soil. She had our care. But not the bees.

She had almost everything she needed.

And what happened in our garden isn’t just a one-off. It’s a glimpse of what’s happening across the country—and around the world. Honey bee populations are declining at alarming rates. Beekeepers are reporting record losses. Scientists are scrambling to fight back against pesticide-resistant mites, disease, extreme weather, and vanishing forage. Some call it a death spiral.

What we’re seeing on a small scale in this backyard bin is part of a much larger story. One about climate, imbalance, and how much life depends on life.

Our sunflower had almost everything she needed.

But almost wasn’t enough.