‘Keep Your Clothes On,’ Sunflower Farm Warns Guests

The indicators that dot Sam Wilson’s household farm southwest of London carry an uncommon warning for guests looking for an Instagram-worthy picture amid the limitless rows of golden sunflowers.

“No Public Nudity.”

When the notoriously grey and soggy climate cooperates, because it has in latest weeks, vacationers flock to Sam’s Sunflowers, a part of Stoke Fruit Farms, to participate in a quintessential British summer season exercise: flower selecting. But a rash of friends baring all of it for the cameras earlier this summer season led Mr. Wilson, 38, a part of the third technology of his household to run the farm, to plant the indicators and switch to social media to remind friends in regards to the guidelines of play.

“Reminder to all we are a family area and please keep your clothes on in the sunflowers!,” the farm, positioned close to Portsmouth on England’s southern coast, stated on its Facebook web page earlier this month. “We are having an increase of reports of naked photography taking place and this must not happen during our public sessions please!”

Hundreds of individuals left feedback, largely delighted and bemused, in regards to the state of affairs. (“Darn it, my plans have been scuppered,” one person lamented. “Where exactly is this farm?” one other wrote. “Asking for a friend obviously.”)

Generally, pictures are inspired. Mr. Wilson even has props excellent for a photograph shoot strewn throughout his fields, together with a grand piano, a tub and a tractor. The flowers — golden, towering and chic — are the right backdrop. Mr. Wilson’s farm has plenty of them, about 2 million, making it simple to cover and take some risqué pictures amongst these symbols of heat, love and happiness.

“They obviously make people want to take their clothes off,” Mr. Wilson stated.

The nudity isn’t new, however this 12 months, it has been occurring extra typically, in some instances the place younger youngsters might see.

“We’ve always had people come to the sunflowers and do risqué photos shoots and things,” Mr. Wilson stated. “It’s just about respect for other people around, people of all ages. We’re a family attraction.”

The indicators and warnings on social media are working, Mr. Wilson stated.

“We have had a busy week, and people have been very respectful of our plea for no public nudity,” he stated, including that there had been a rise in requests for personal periods to permit for picture shoots that embrace nudity.

That shouldn’t come as a shock. Sunflowers have served as an inspiration earlier than. In 2003, Helen Mirren starred in “Calendar Girls,” a British movie primarily based on a real story, a few group of middle-aged ladies who pose for a nude calendar to lift cash for blood most cancers analysis. Sunflowers featured prominently within the pictures.

“I think it’s very funny,” stated Patricia Stewart, 74, one of many unique Calendar Girls, whose concept it was to create the month-to-month information. The Calendar Girls have raised about $7 million for Blood Cancer U.Ok. previously twenty years, based on the group’s web site.

For nature lovers who promise to not go topless, the window to take an image amongst Mr. Wilson’s sunflowers is about to finish. The farm was open on Monday, based on the web site, however it often closes in the course of August.