Man surprises wife with 1.2 million sunflowers planted across 80 acres for their 50th anniversary

If you are dating right now, there is no denying that it is a tough world out there. Many believe that the days of old-school romance are long gone but it looks like one farmer from Pratt is still a fan of big gestures from the heart. Instead of getting his wife, Renee, a regular bouquet for their 50th anniversary, Lee Wilson decided to do something extra special for her. Knowing how much she loves sunflowers, he planted 80 acres of the stunning flowering plants.

Wilson began secretly working on the surprise in May, taking the help of his son to plant a vast field of bright yellow flowers across 80 acres of farmland in Pratt, Kansas. That is around 1.2 million sunflowers across the whole field!

"We're celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary on August 10 and you know, what's a guy get his gal on their 50th? And I put a lot of thought into it and she always liked sunflowers and I thought this is the year to plant sunflowers, so we planted her 80 acres of sunflowers," Wilson told ABC News affiliate KAKE-TV in Wichita. And what did Renee have to say about that? "It made me feel very special. It couldn't have been a more perfect anniversary gift than a field of sunflowers," she said.

According to Good Morning America, Wilson and Renee are high school sweethearts. As news of the loving husband's grand gesture spread, netizens praised his thoughtful surprise and how genuine affection was still blossoming for the couple even after 50 years! @randocalrissian347 commented, "The thought and implementation of this gesture is truly priceless." @pumpkinspice7097 added, "WoW! Love in full bloom. It is so very sweet." @rosaramahi1651 joked, "I'm forwarding this to my husband... hold on…"

The sunflowers will likely only be around for another 10-14 days and can be spotted for miles east of Pratt, along Highway 54. The couple does not plan on making it an annual thing and will return to planting their usual set of crops in 2024. "Oh, it's been fun, but I think one time is enough for us. It's somebody else's turn next year," said Wilson.

The field—which has 15 thousand flowers per acre—is already attracting people from around the state to take pictures and experience the eye-catching display in full bloom. The beautiful bright flowers also happen to be Kansas' state flower.

The couple have known each other most of their lives. "We met in high school. She couldn't date until she was 16, and I called her on her 16th birthday and that's when we started dating," Lee Wilson said. "Our first date was a roller skating party, an FFA roller skating party in Harper, Kansas." He knew she was "the one" for him ever since.

According to the Martha Stewart website, late May is the best time to sow your sunflowers directly in your garden soil in many parts of the U.S. and most of them will begin to fade by the end of September. The large sunny flowers are easy to cultivate and known to attract butterflies, bees and beautiful songbirds.