Te Puke Kindergarten has scooped the award for tallest sunflower and widest sunflower in the 2015 Daltons Sunflowers in Kindergartens Project.

Over the past four months, 12,800 budding preschool gardeners from around the country have been learning about gardening by growing their own sunflowers as part of the project.

Mary Tamarapa, 3, helping measure. Photos: Supplied.

In its third year, the nationwide gardening initiative provides kindergarten children with the opportunity to develop hands on gardening skills and learn about the lifecycle of plants.

This year kindergartens across ten regions in New Zealand took part.

In the Tauranga region 666 children from Kindergartens in Tauranga Region Kindergartens Associationwere involved in the project.

Te Puke Kindergarten was named the winner of both the coveted Tallest Sunflower and Widest Sunflower Head awards for the region.

Their winning tallest sunflower plant measured in at a healthy 2.4 metres high and head width 11cm.

'It was our first time competing in the project and so it was amazing two win both the tallest sunflower and the widest head,” says teacher Aimee Crisp.

'It's a really good project and the kids really got into it and so did the families – it was a whole kindergarten contribution.

'The kids had a lovely time tracking and loved tracking their progress and comparing it to their own heights, which was a really good learning opportunity. We will have to do it again next year and repeat our previous success.”

One Waikato Early Learning Centre (part of Waikato Kindergarten Association), grew the tallest sunflower recorded in the three year history of the project. Their sunflower measured in at a staggering 3.12 metres tall.

Daltons general manager Colin Parker says Sunflowers in Kindergartens Project is all about inspiring young kiwi gardeners by giving them the opportunity to get their hands dirty and experience how much fun and enjoyment they can have in the garden.

'Sunflowers grow so fast and are perfect for children as there's an instant reward to their hard work. Judging by the smiles on some of those little faces we have achieved our goal.”