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She Gave Away 10000 Sunflower Seeds — This Baker’s Dream Is Turning Chennai Into A Garden City
If you had to sum up Chennai in three words, what would they be?
Traffic. Humidity. Opportunities.
But what if one of those words could someday be… flowers?
Now imagine this: you’re at a busy roundabout in Guindy, engines humming, sun beating down, and suddenly, a burst of bright yellow catches your eye. Dozens of tall, golden sunflowers sway gently in the breeze. You slow down. You smile. Your mood lifts.
That moment, that unexpected joy, is exactly what Shefalii Dadabhoy (51) is trying to create.
At first glance, Shefalii may seem like just another multi-talented entrepreneur: a banker-turned-chef, a photographer, and the founder of ‘Shefs’, a boutique Chennai bakery known for its exquisite floral brownies. But beneath her artful desserts lies a far bigger dream — one rooted in soil, sunlight, and a love for urban greenery.
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Shefalii has been an urban gardener for over 12 years now.
Shefalii wants to turn Chennai into India’s very first Sunflower City.
“I never thought associating Chennai with flowers was strange,” she says with a soft laugh. “But people would tell me, ‘We’ve never thought of Chennai and flowers in the same sentence.’ That only pushed me further.”
What began as a single sunflower patch in her rooftop garden in Rutland Gate, Nungambakkam, in 2024, has since bloomed — quite literally — into a citizen-led movement. Today, more than 150 residents, schools, and offices are part of ‘#SunflowerCity’, a growing green initiative aimed at bringing joy, pollinators, and a sense of calm to the concrete chaos of urban life in Chennai.
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‘The joy of sunflowers is infectious’
Shefalii, a passionate urban gardener for over 12 years, didn’t set out to launch a citywide movement. It all began in 2024 with a simple experiment on her rooftop in Rutland Gate, Nungambakkam. She cleared a 15×30-foot patch and planted over 1,000 sunflower seeds, unsure of what would come of it. But what she witnessed over the next few weeks left her in awe.
“I used to just stand there and watch them grow from seed to bloom,” she recalls. “It brought so much joy.”
It wasn’t just her. Friends would stop by, and soon, they were bringing other friends — just to walk through that golden patch.
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“The joy was infectious. That’s when it hit me — what if the whole city could feel this immense joy?”
With that thought, her sunflower dream began to take root. She started small, creating a WhatsApp group to share gardening updates and inviting others to grow sunflowers too. An Instagram page followed, managed by enthusiastic teens from the community, helping the idea bloom beyond her immediate circle. The group became a hub of practical knowledge, sharing organic solutions like vermicompost and panchagavya, and cheering each other on through photos and messages.
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Word spread quickly. People were curious, excited, and willing to try. Shefalii began distributing sunflower seeds for free to anyone who wanted to join in. “We’ve shared over 10,000 seeds already,” she says. “And I’ve personally grown over 5,000 sunflowers in three cycles.”
Importantly, everything — from the seeds to the guide to the workshops — is offered at no cost.
To support new growers, she also put together a simple DIY digital guide on how to grow sunflowers, covering everything from planting tips to watering instructions. These instructions are also shared through posts and reels on their Instagram page, making it easy for beginners to follow along.
Those curious to learn hands-on are welcome to visit her rooftop garden, where Shefalii often shares tips and techniques in person. But it’s not always her leading the way — some of the teenagers involved in the initiative now conduct their own small workshops for children in the neighbourhood.
“It’s truly a people’s movement,” Shefalii says. “I genuinely believe if you set out to do something for the greater good, people will come together. It doesn’t matter if you’re a schoolkid, a grandfather, or an industrialist — this is for everyone.”
The surprising power of a sunflower
While sunflowers may seem like just a cheerful splash of colour, Shefalii is quick to point out that their benefits run far deeper. As the movement grew, more people began asking — why sunflowers?
“Sunflowers are fantastic pollinators,” she explains. “They attract bees and butterflies, boost biodiversity, and even help improve soil health. In fact, they were used in Hiroshima to remove heavy metals and radiation from the ground,” she adds, explaining their ability to absorb toxins from the soil.
It turns out, Chennai’s climate — often considered too hot for most flowers — is actually perfect for sunflowers. With ample sunshine and a bit of care, they thrive best in April and August, making them a fitting choice for the city’s environmental and emotional landscape.
From classrooms to petrol pumps
The Sunflower City mission has taken root in unexpected places. At KC High International School, Chennai, Director Valli Subbiah, who watched Shefalii’s work, was immensely inspired and led a project that blended science and art.
Under the project, Class 6 students studied phototropism as they tracked sunflower growth, while younger children explored the flower through art, drawing inspiration from Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama, known for her bold use of polka dots and immersive floral themes. “It was a beautiful interdisciplinary project,” Subbiah says. “We called our students ‘Little Gardeners’.”
The ‘Little Gardeners’ have been nurturing the sunflowers in their school premises.
“I’d like to credit Angel Roshika Alice, our secondary science teacher, and Nancy Ninan, our primary teacher, for their constant effort in involving the children and helping create this beautiful garden of sunflowers,” she adds.
Meanwhile, in Dindivanam, entrepreneur Girish Pandian planted over 300 sunflowers around his newly inaugurated petrol bunk. “Customers come in, they see the flowers, and there’s an instant spark of joy. I’ve seen kids run in to take selfies, people smile as they refuel — something as simple as a flower brightens their day,” he says. “It’s not just a petrol bunk anymore, it feels like a garden.”
People who come to Girish’s petrol pump are welcomed by these beautiful sunflowers.
Girish is now on his third planting cycle and has even started harvesting seeds from previous batches to sustain future growth.
“Initially, I didn’t know much about growing sunflowers, but Shefalii’s instructions were easy to follow,” he says. “You just have to be careful with watering. In the beginning, sprinkle lightly — too much water can kill the plant before it gets strong.”
Growing joy all over Chennai
Today, the sunflower movement is growing organically across the city. Schools like the American International School, SOS Villages, and Sankalp (a school for children with special needs) are all taking part. Even Ford’s campus on OMR Road is joining the bloom brigade.
Shefalii believes that humans are just curators of nature.
“It’s not just about gardening,” says Shefalii. “It’s about joy, community, and healing. When someone grows even one flower, they share it with such pride. That’s the power of nature.”
She adds, “Every day I get updates from people I’ve never met, showing me their blooms. But what connects us is the happiness of growing sunflowers.”
A vision for a blooming city
Shefalii dreams of covering every roundabout, public park, and empty patch of land in Chennai with sunflowers. “Imagine driving through the city and seeing a sea of blooms. That’s the dream.”
The initiative remains open to partnerships with schools, corporations, and even government bodies. “Nature is the real artist,” she adds. “We are just its curators.”
Whether you’re a child with a flowerpot or a business owner with a backyard, ‘#SunflowerCity’ welcomes you. Because, as Shefalii puts it, “I may have planted the flower, but the joy it brings belongs to everyone.”
Curious to be part of the bloom? Follow @chennai.sunflowercity on Instagram.
Edited by Khushi Arora; All images courtesy SunflowerCity
