YORK COUNTY, S.C. – There are thousands of sunflowers in bloom at the Draper Wildlife Management Area in York County but they won't last long.
The sunflowers started to bloom around July 4 and typically keep their full bloom for about two weeks. People are using the flowers as a backdrop for photo shoots and the wide-open fields let people stay socially distanced from on another.
Kerstin Thompson brought her two daughters, Meagan and Sarah, out to the sunflower fields to get them out of the house and into some fresh air. Sarah was born with Arthrogryposis, which means she has joints that are fixed in place. Sarah also has Polymicrogyria, a condition where the part of her brain didn't fully develop, making it difficult to coordinate muscle movement.
Meagan took Sarah through the flowers in a specially designed wheelchair. While most people wandered through the flowers, artist Heather McLeod sketched the scenes and painted watercolors under the shade of a tree.
McLeod's art school in New York was shut down for COVID-19, so she is staying with her parents in York County. McLeod has taken her sketch book with her during travels abroad and to college, painting scenes from her travels.
“Looking back you remember, instead of taking a little momento back with you, you take this little book,” she said.
If you'd like to go see the sunflowers for yourself you can visit the Draper Wildlife Management area at 1080 Brattonsville Road McConnells, SC 29726. There is no charge.
When you get to the Draper Wildlife Management Area travel through to the circle lot. Walk the path to the left marked for sunflowers. You will see small fields to your right after walking the path through a wooded area and then a larger field further down on the left.
